Flybe cuts 24 routes

Flybe has announced its summer schedule for 2014, confirming more than 150 routes from 65 UK and European airports between March 30th and October 25th, 2014.
The timetable reaffirms Flybe’s ongoing commitment to the regional economies of the UK and, with fares starting at just £19.99 one way including taxes and charges, the airline is determined to provide a product and an experience that is in tune with its customers’ needs.
Following the recently announced reconfiguration of its route network, the airline can now also confirm that it is withdrawing 30 routes of which 14 normally operate for summer only.
Passengers affected by the route withdrawals are being contacted and offered, where possible, an alternative Flybe flight or a full refund on their ticket.
Commenting on the new schedule, Paul Simmons, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer said: “We recently announced that we would be reconfiguring our route network as part of a carefully planned strategy to optimise our operations. “We have since taken a long hard look at all the routes we fly to make sure that our new schedule is what our customers really want and that they operate at the best possible times for everyone. The extent of our confirmed regional network, with more than 150 routes on sale for next summer, means that no other airline has the regional and onward international connectivity offered by Flybe.” Simmons added.

easyJet plans third route to Tel Aviv

easyJet is planning a third route between the UK and Tel Aviv. The airline, which already flies to the city from Manchester Airport and London Luton Airport, will start services from London Gatwick Airport from 1 April 2014.
The thrice weekly flights, which will go on sale on 10 December, will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays with fares starting from £90.49
Hugh Aitken, UK Commercial Manager for easyJet, commented: “easyJet is delighted to be able to offer new services to Tel Aviv from a third airport in the UK. We expect to carry around 50,000 passengers each year on the new Gatwick service. Combined with our flights from London Luton and Manchester this means we will operate 16 weekly flights to Tel Aviv from the UK.
“Our research, in conjunction with the Jewish News, has helped us better understand why passengers choose Tel Aviv and informed us about what they enjoyed about their trip. The most striking finding was the destination’s growing popularity with young travellers who viewed it as a relaxing, beach destination to visit.
“One of the reasons for launching new flights from London Gatwick is because Tel Aviv’s appeal as a popular leisure destination has been growing. Almost 100,000 passengers travelled from both London Luton and Manchester with easyJet in the past year.”
easyJet started flying to Tel Aviv in November 2009 from London Luton Airport. Across Europe the airline currently serves Tel Aviv from London Luton and Manchester as well as Basel, Geneva and Rome.
The airline has recently announced a Berlin – Tel Aviv route which is the first since the signing of the Open skies agreement between the EU and Israel. In the past twelve months easyJet has flown more than 330,000 passengers into and out of Tel Aviv, 190,000 of those flew to and from the UK and next year this is set to increase further.
easyJet has also increased its flights between Manchester and Tel Aviv from two to three per week between 17 Feb 2014 and 28 April 2014.

Ryanair launches allocated seating

Ryanair has launched allocated seating on all Ryanair flights from 1st February 2014, which is now available when booking on the Ryanair.com website, which allows Ryanair customers to choose their preferred seats in advance.
Ryanair customers can now select their preferred allocated seat either during the booking process or when checking-in online with three seat options available:
Ryanair customers who do not wish to pre-select their seats can check-in during the period from 7 days to 2 hours prior to their flight and they will be assigned an allocated seat at no cost. (Free allocated seats will not be available prior to 7 days before each flight departure).
Customers who have already purchased priority boarding for flights departing after 1st February 2014 can select a standard seat free of charge when checking-in online.
Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said: “Ryanair is listening to our customers and responding, so that they can continue to enjoy the lowest fares and most on-time flights, but can also benefit from these recent improvements to Ryanair’s industry leading customer service. All Ryanair customers may now bring a (small) second bag on board, enjoy an easier booking process on our improved website, “quiet flights” pre-8am and post-9pm, and customers can now choose their preferred allocated seat on all Ryanair flights from 1st February.
Ryanair will next introduce a “My Ryanair” customer registration service at the end of December, allowing customers to save their personal details to make even faster bookings. This will be followed by a “Share the Fare” feature, a “Fare Finder” feature and mobile boarding passes before the end of April 2014.
“These service improvements will be in addition to the 12 new routes from London Stansted airport, which begin in April 2014, as Ryanair offers our customers an even greater choice of destinations, as well as Europe’s industry leading customer service.”

Qatar Airways extends footprint in US

Qatar Airways is extending its footprint in the USA with the launch of a new service to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), commencing on July 1, 2014.
The destination will become Qatar Airways’ second route in Texas; the airline currently operates to Houston non-stop daily from Doha.
A statement said that the airline’s latest announcement reinforces its commitment to the American market and the passengers that fly with Qatar Airways from the United States.
“We are pleased to continue enhancing our presence in the United States and are committed to providing passengers with an exceptional travel experience with Qatar Airways, as they travel on their long-haul and short-haul journeys.
“It is an exciting start to 2014 that we have announced three new American routes, and we look forward to welcoming our new and loyal passengers on board.
“We take this opportunity to thank the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for their support in enabling the commencement of Qatar Airways’ new services. DFW is the world’s fourth busiest airport, and we are pleased to begin operating services there.”
The Dallas/Fort Worth route will be operated with the airline’s flagship Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, which features a two-class design with 42 Business Class lie-flat seats in a 2-2-2 configuration.
Qatar Airways’ Business Class product was ranked the “World’s Best Business Class” at the Skytrax World Airline Awards this year in Paris.
Economy Class features 217 seats in a 3-3-3 across configuration, featuring one less seat per row in Economy Class than its competitors.
Currently flying to four destinations in the United States – New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and Houston – the airline will nearly double its footprint in the country with the addition of three new routes in 2014: Philadelphia (2 April), Miami (10 June) and Dallas/Fort Worth (1 July).
Key destinations for passengers travelling from the United States across the airline’s hub in Doha include routes in India, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Popular business and leisure destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Delhi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, and Maldives are operated daily non-stop with multiple frequencies, making Qatar Airways an airline of choice among passengers.
In line with Qatar Airways’ growth strategy, many routes are served with multiple frequencies, ensuring maximum connectivity and convenience by providing some of the shortest travel times in the industry.

Katara Hospitality plans new hotel in Doha

In line with the growth strategy of its Merweb brand, Katara Hospitality has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for managing a new hotel in Doha under the umbrella of Merweb brand.
The MoU was signed by Saeed Abdulla Al Amer Al Kaabi, President of Sphinex Hotels & Resorts and, on behalf of Katara Hospitality, by Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, Chief Executive Officer. The signing ceremony took place today at Sharq Village & Spa, Doha.
The new hotel will be known as Merweb Plaza Hotel and is located on Jawaan street in Al Sadd District. The hotel has been designed to cater to the growing number of business travelers who seek a high-quality business hotel in the very heart of Doha city.
Currently under construction, Merweb Plaza Hotel is expected to open in late 2014. The property will comprise 175 rooms and suites equipped with the latest technologies and amenities required by business travelers on the move, while restaurants, meeting and banqueting space as well as recreation facilities will complement the offer.
“We are proud to be associated with Katara Hospitality, the national owner, manager and developer of iconic hotels that has become one of the most reputable international hospitality organisations,” said, Saeed Abdulla Al Amer Al Kaabi, President of Sphinex Hotels and Resort.
“With its international experience and scale, we are confident that Katara Hospitality will manage Merweb Plaza Hotel according the highest international standards, and are confident that this will be a fruitful partnership for both parties.”
“The addition of Merweb Plaza Hotel to the portfolio of managed hotels under the Merweb brand fits perfectly with our strategic expansion plans for this brand”, stated Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, Chief Executive Officer of Katara Hospitality.  “As we are refreshing the Merweb brand to enhance the guest experience, we are looking forward to a successful partnership in managing this new hotel”, he concluded.
Katara Hospitality takes great pride in its home grown Merweb brand and is presently focusing on reviewing and refreshing the brand offering to become one of the leading hotel management companies in the region.

10 of the best rooftop bars in London

London does pubs and pints famously well but you can increasingly add rooftop bars to the superlatives list, too.
True, summer lasts only about two weeks here but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for an alfresco cocktail or two -- most of these spots are open year-round with outdoor heaters and cozy blankets if you want to leave the sheltered inside space.
These 10 panoramic places will be among the best perches in town for New Year revels.

Queen of Hoxton, East London

Located in the heart of Hipsterville with an uninspiring view of surrounding office blocks, this rooftop is a magnet for East London’s creative crowd.

There are fire pits and a toasty tipi in winter and BBQs, frozen cocktails and guest DJs when the sun is shining.

Screenings of cult films sell out in hours, so keep an eye on the bar's Facebook and Twitter pages to score a coveted ticket.
Food and drink menus change with the seasons. Right now the Pumpkin Spiced Cider ($8.80) and DIY toasted marshmallows ($1.60) hit the spot.
Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3JX; +44 20 7422 0958; open daily, year-round

Radio Rooftop Bar, central London

Indoor glass atrium and warming cocktails make this a top winter spot.A newcomer to the city’s rooftop scene, Radio is among the swankiest.

It’s the crowning glory of a five-star hotel that was once the headquarters of the BBC.

Ten floors up in the heart of Theaterland, the wide terrace either side of the glass-walled bar lets you tick off most London landmarks.

A cosmopolitan post-work/pre-theater crowd mingles with well-heeled hotel guests, so you should dress to impress (no sportswear allowed for men).
Seasonal cocktailslike the Autumn Sundown with Gin Mare, vanilla, basil and apple ($19) are great.
Radio Rooftop Bar, 336-337 The Strand, Aldwych, WC2R 1HA; +44 20 7395 3440; open daily, year-round

Madison, City of London

Saintly sipping with St. Paul's in the background.Sipping is a spiritual affair at this City of London bar, with a large outdoor terrace overlooking the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral.

There are 150 different wines to choose from and a good range of beers, spirits and cocktails. But the signature drink is a Pornstar Martini with vanilla vodka ($17.60).

The mini-cheeseburgers with blue cheese and bacon ($14.40) are a manageable bite with drink in hand or you can take a table at the classy restaurant serving up European fare.
Come 5 p.m., it’s wall-to-wall City boys, while the weekend attracts a mixed crowd of tourists and locals.
Madison London, 1 New Change, St Paul’s, EC4M 9AF; +44 20 8305 3088; open daily, year-round
More: Futuristic London airport proposed for Thames island

Boundary, East London

Boundary: British weather-proof.Sitting atop a converted Victorian warehouse, this is one of the city’s most stylish rooftops.

Wicker chairs and white cushions create a relaxed Mediterranean vibe, while the new weatherproof pergola means the infamous British weather won’t bother you one bit.

Classic cocktails are all around $15, or there are pitchers to share. The zingy Rooftop Garden with lemon vodka and apple brandy ($38) feels appropriate.
You can nibble on olives or go for something more substantial from the all-day menu of seafood, char-grilled steaks and salads (available until 9.45 p.m.).
Boundary, 2-4 Boundary Street (entrance on Redchurch Street), Shoreditch, E2 7DD; +44 20 7729 1051; open daily, year-round

The Big Chill House, King’s Cross

Creative student types call this place home in increasingly cool King's Cross. This large Victorian pub in King’s Cross is a maze of different floors, with funky decor, rocking DJs and sweaty 20-somethings from nearby Central Saint Martins College predominating.
There’s a good selection of craft beers, spirits and cocktails, plus tasty bar bites such as chili popcorn prawns with sweet chili dip ($6.50).
The rooftop closes at midnight on the weekends, but downstairs stays thumping until 3 a.m.
Big Chill House, 257-259 Pentonville Road, King’s Cross, N1 9NL; +44 20 7427 2540; open daily, year-round

Vista, central London

Vista ... has a sweeping one, especially come New Year's Eve.Perched on top of The Trafalgar hotel in Trafalgar Square, the newly refurbished Vista has one cracker of a view -- and one of the best New Year’s parties in town.

The ambitiously priced drinks list is dominated by Champagne and creative cocktails.

The Movista is a blend of Jamaican rum with a touch of cherry wine and fresh lime juice, topped up with soda ($19).
With its monochrome furnishings and sophisticated air, Vista attracts a suited-and-booted crowd and cashed up tourists looking to escape the hubbub below.
The Trafalgar, 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, SW1A 2TS; +44 20 7870 2900; open daily from April to October but also open on New Year’s Eve for the Thames-side fireworks display; $7 cover charge after 4 p.m.
More: 7 hot new London hotels

Upper Deck, Southwark

Being British, this rooftop bar comes with cream tea and scones.Opened in April 2013, this terrace overlooking the Thames has glorious views of Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and World War II warship HMS Belfast.

Considering it’s in prime tourist territory, prices are reasonable, with more than a dozen wines on offer, plus bottled and tap beer and the usual spirits.

You could embrace all things British with a cream tea -- scone, clotted cream and jam ($8) -- or share a local cheese board with fruity chutney and artisan bread ($23).
You’re unlikely to hear a local accent during the day, but come evening time it’s packed with post-work punters.
Upper Deck, HMS Belfast Visitor Center, The Queen's Walk, Southwark, SE1 2JH; +44 20 7403 6246; open daily from March to November

Dalston Roof Park, East London

AstroTurf meets gritty inner city.There’s no real view (unless you count a sloping roof of solar panels), but this AstroTurfed pop-up atop a four-story former factory is the ultimate hipster hangout and a great stop to plan for once winter clears away.

It’s not as pretentious as it sounds, though, with a casual neighborhood vibe and DJs, stand-up comedy and classic films.

A team of local volunteers tends to grow-bags of herbs, fruits and veg that are blended to make yummy cocktails (from $10).
There’s also well-priced wine, beer and cider served in plastic cups and a changing line-up of street food stands.
Dalston Roof Park, 18 Ashwin Street, Dalston, E8 3DL; +44 20 7275 0825; open daily from May-September; one-off membership fee of $5

Frank’s Campari Bar, South London

Multi-story car park becomes hipster central.Who would’ve thought a multi-story car park in a nondescript South London suburb could be the site of one of the capital’s coolest bars?

Part sculpture project, part seasonal pop-up, Frank’s is one of the biggest -- and cheapest -- rooftops in town.

You can choose from Campari cocktails($8), local Meantime beer ($7) and a simple wine list -- it’s just white, red or rosé at Frank’s.
Then there's grilled sweetcorn ($4) to munch on while you admire the city skyline, including the Shard skyscraper, from afar.

 

Skiers star in their own videos as popularity of helmet cams grows

WILMINGTON, Vt. - Hey, mom, did you see that cool jump? That explosion of powder? How I squeezed between those trees?
There are moments on the slopes when skiers wish all eyes were on them. But here's the next best thing: helmet cameras, which enable skiers to photograph and videotape their own descents, jumps and tracks to show off later.
Helmet cams have become so ubiquitous that they are "almost the norm" at Steamboat Ski & Resort in Steamboat Springs, Colo. "The cameras take bragging rights to the next level," said resort spokeswoman Loryn Kasten.
Steamboat is even incorporating user content into its own social media and marketing, because the vantage point of the skier or boarder taking video has more impact than the pro cameraman standing at the bottom. The user videos, Kasten says, are a "scrapbook in motion."
Sharing video: Not just for kidsA new teen center at a members-only resort will even have indoor video editing booths and a screening room to play footage and finished films for a crowd.
The teen center is part of a new lodge at The Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain in Wilmington, Vt. Hermitage owner and founder Jim Barnes was inspired by the interest of his own children — ages 16, 14 and 9 — in using the cams.
But the cameras are not just for kids. Barnes recalled a 40-something who took video of 47 runs during a single day last season.
"Each generation pushes other generations to do it. Gen-Xers are sharing, and Gen-Yers and Z. There's a push for all of them to use cameras because they're going to share it," said Kelly Davis, director of research for the SnowSports Industries America association.
"Sharing" is the key: The explosion of social media is what's led to the leap in cameras among skiers and boarders — not to mention surfers, skate boarders, rock climbers and mountain bikers.
"The cameras seem to be driving people to do more adventurous things, explore the back country, so they can share it," said Davis. "It's not just ego. But people are aware that they are presenting an image of themselves, and videos of them doing this stuff starts conversations."
Even older skiers who don't use the cameras are watching the footage. "My grandma loves to see the video. She got them for us so she can see us skiing," said Will Coffin, a 13-year-old member of Vermont's Mount Snow race team. "And I don't ski with my parents much, so sometimes I'll show them, too."
His 11-year-old brother Charlie will show them "to anyone who's there after skiing." Most likely his videos are off-trail in the trees, which he thinks makes the best visuals. The Coffin videos will occasionally go up on YouTube, and they'll watch the ones their friends make.
Sales and impulse buysSales of the cameras, like the industry leader GoPro, were up 50 percent to 123,000 at snow sports retailers for the 2012-13 ski season, according to the SnowSports Industries America. The trade group expects a higher number for 2013-14, with additional sales at electronics stores and elsewhere that the SIA does not track.
GoPro sells its Hero3+ Black Edition for close to $400, but the price has not deterred impulse buyers who see others using it and must have one.
"Veteran skiers are looking for the best deal, and might get their GoPro in an off-season sale," said Kasten. "But it's also not farfetched to say, a family will come into one of our retail outlets and tell us, 'We're using our iPhone for video, but we just saw someone else's video'" shot with a GoPro. Often they'll buy one on the spot.
Jonathan Harris, GoPro's vice president of sales, thinks this season will see more groups collaborating on videos, divvying up camera angles and pooling footage. "As a kid, I loved watching Warren Miller ski movies," he said, referring to the annual snow sports films beloved by skiers and boarders. "You wished for a way to do that, but I didn't have a camera crew waiting for me at the bottom of the run. Now with $400 — boom! — you are out there getting your own movie."
Family time and memoriesWing Taylor, 42, who lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia, uses his GoPro mostly to record keepsakes of the days when his children are still mastering the mountains, but he'll also play them on gray fall days to get his son and daughter jazzed for the season.
"I will also share the videos at my kids at work. Who doesn't like an audience to say, 'Look at my kids. They're awesome!'" he said. And with just the right camera angle, the jump of a 6-year-old can look a lot bigger than it really is.
If you're hanging at the Taylors' house, you might watch the videos on their flat screen. "We can pick 'home movies' on our Apple TV, and for us, home movies are ski movies."
The only downside, Taylor says, is the audio. There's a lot of loud "schussing," which he typically fixes up by dropping in music on the final cut.
Noah Shelton, 14, of Cary, N.C., says the camera lets him relive happy or proud moments: "You can capture the beauty of the nature around you, but if you're a freestyle skier or boarder, you're really doing it for the crazy jumps and flips."
Sometimes, he'll move the camera from his helmet to his back or pole to try and get the look on his own face or others around him. "When there's a good jump, the reaction of other people is priceless."
Nick Skally, 36, of Portsmouth, N.H., likes to record the tips of his skis popping in and out of the powder. "It's so much fun to see where you've gone," he said.
Cameras have become so lightweight, low-profile and easy to use that Skally sometimes forgets it's on his helmet and wears it into the lodge still recording, which makes for some funny outtakes.
But the main reason for the videos, he says, is "to remember the epic runs, the powder dumps, the good times. If the memory fades, the video doesn't." 

World's longest flight to land for the last time

This weekend, Singapore Airlines will terminate its iconic, nonstop all-business-class service to New York - also the world's longest flight - as the aviation sector grapples with high fuel prices and subdued demand for premium travel.
The cancellation of the direct route, which shuttles passengers between Changi and Newark within 18.5 hours and costs around $8,800, has come as a disappointment to business travelers who now face an additional six hours or so in travel time.
(Read more: How you're being nickel and dimed by airlines)
"It's disappointing that a direct flight to the U.S. is no longer available. I feel that it was decently full every time we were on it. The timing of the direct flight works best for business travelers," said Singapore-based Sheena Mahtani, who travels to New York for work multiple times a year.

Vivek Prakash / Reuters

Singapore Airlines aircraft takes off from Changi Airport in Singapore.

"The SQ flight via Frankfurt would probably be the only other Singapore-New York option that would work," she added, referring to the flight with duration of over 24 hours.
Operating exclusive, nonstop flights to the U.S. has brought about intangible benefits for Singapore's flag carrier, including helping it to win and maintain key corporate accounts, according to Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA).
"There was also the glamour and prestige associated with operating the world's longest nonstop routes. But ultimately the incredible cost of operating an ultra-long-range service could not be ignored," CAPA said in a recent report on long-range travel.
According to industry experts, despite opting for an all-business configuration and charging a premium over its one-stop services in the same market, the yields were not high enough to offset the high operating costs.
(Read more: Singapore Airlines hit by cutbacks in premium class)
In 2008, the airline re-configured its A340-500 aircraft used on the nonstop route to 100 business class seats from 117 premium economy and 64 business class seats. During that year, premium accounted for over 9.5 percent of total passengers, compared with 8 percent currently, according to data from International Air Transport Association (IATA).
"At the current high price of fuel, making a profit off such long flights became nearly an impossible mission even when filling the plane with premium passengers," CAPA said.
Timothy Ross, analyst at Credit Suisse says while the nonstop flight was a "differentiator" for the airline, the natural inclination for passengers will be to switch to the airline's one-stop service.
"There's a high level of loyalty to Singapore airlines. I don't think the impact is going to be anything other than marginal," Ross said. "People attracted by a lower price point are already flying competitors, such as Emirates," he added.
(Read more: Airlines cash in on every inch, even the jammed bins overhead)
Meantime, Singapore Airlines, which also ended its nonstop service to Los Angeles at the end of October, says that it remains "very committed" to the U.S. market.
"Over the past 2-3 years we have increased capacity to both Los Angeles and New York by deploying A380 superjumbos on flights via Tokyo and Frankfurt," a spokesperson for the airline for CNBC via email.

Postcards vs. the Future: 10 'endangered' travel items

Although technology cannot (as yet) eradicate crippling food poisoning or comically awkward cultural exchanges, there's little doubt that travel gets easier with the advent of every new app.

Smartphones make it simpler to find obscure backstreet restaurants or order cabs in Ulaanbaatar.

Nevertheless, the relentless march of progress hasn't been without a few regrettable victims.

Several much loved travel stalwarts are falling out of favor thanks to technology and other factors.

The following 10 are some of our most loved travel items that are slowly being replaced by modern innovations.

1. Postcards

A telling sign of a much loved item's near obsolescence is when a campaign is launched to save it.

Going by that standard, the postcard -- the object of a number of high-profile resuscitation attempts in recent years -- has been in the emergency ward for some time.

One survey last year found that while 60% of people texted friends and family back home when on vacation, only 16% sent postcards.

There's plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that postcards are out of favor.

"The overall, overwhelming consensus is that postcard sales are down dramatically," Matthew Tobin, president of the U.S. Souvenir Wholesale Distributors Association and executive vice president of Arts & Cards, told the Providence Journal earlier this year. "It's probably half what it used to be."

Postcards were born in the UK, in the Victorian era, and allowed vividly colored images to be sent and received for the first time.

They've had a roller coaster ride since then, with 4.5 billion postcards delivered in the United States in 1951, falling to 1.8 billion in 1980, rising again to 3.3 billion in 1990 and plummeting again to 1.4 billion in 2010. The United States Postal Service forecasts around 1 billion single-piece cards will be sent in the U.S. in 2013.

Those numbers include non-personal postcards, such as dentist appointment reminders and advertising fliers.

More: The place where two earthquakes hit every hour

2. Slide shows

Vacation slide shows were once the cultural after-dinner mint of the suburban dinner party.

Of course that dinner party might have been microwaved nouvelle cuisine and the slide show held in a "den" tastefully decorated in salmon pink and dove gray.

But there was something far cozier about sharing photos with people in physical proximity than with a collection of avatars and Facebook accounts.

In 2012, slide film became another victim in Kodak's sad fall from favor.

The world's once biggest manufacturer of film and slides recently emerged from bankruptcy, having shed most of its film businesses to focus on digital photography and printing.

The reason, it said, was lack of demand.

Fujifilm, Kodak's consummate competitor in years past, has also been killing off its film and slide film products.

Which means those Kodak moments once projected fuzzily onto your grandpa's living room wall -- there's Mom cooking dinner outside the tent; click; there's cousin Hannah setting the split-log picnic table -- are now most often enjoyed on a 2x2-inch digital screen.

3. Guidebooks

If only this book could upload photos.

If the traditional guidebook really is in its death throes, 2013 may come to be seen as its Waterloo.

In March, after BBC Worldwide unloaded Lonely Planet for $120 million less than it paid for the brand in 2007, some began to look closely at the bigger picture.

They found that sales have declined dramatically across the industry in recent years.

In 2007, combined U.S. sales from the big five travel publishers that represent more than 80% of the market (Frommer's, Dorling Kindersley, Lonely Planet, Fodor's, Avalon's Moon/Rick Steves) were just more than $125 million, according to Stephen Mesquita's "World Travel Guides Market" report for Nielsen BookScan.

By 2012, combined sales had dropped nearly 40% to $78 million.

The UK's Automobile Association said last year it had stopped publishing and updating its travel guides due to lack of demand.

The demise of the unwieldy travel tome won't be mourned by those who feel they send everyone to the same hotels/restaurants/sights.

As well as being cumbersome they become quickly dated.

Try using "Lonely Planet: China 2010" to make your way around and you'll see what we mean.

Yet we'll miss certain things about the humble guidebook.

Few things whet the appetite for a trip like a potted political history, culinary glossaries, maps, pictures and descriptions.

Not only that, but in all their seawater-splashed, curry-stained, beat-up glory, they help recall your travels in a way smartphones never will.

4. Internet cafes

Once an invaluable portal linking home with abroad, the Internet cafe is a victim of the inexorable march of wireless connectivity.

Until just a few years back, many travelers would spend at least an hour a day trying to work out the vagaries and quirks of a foreign keyboard while tapping out missives to friends and family.

These days, however, laptops, tablets and the resulting Facebook and Instagram feeds have become an integral part of the travel experience.

The upshot has been the documented closure of Internet cafes in a number of countries, including Morocco, India, China and the UK.

Increased competition between Internet service providers in travel hotspots such as Vietnam and Thailand means finding a Wi-Fi connection is as simple as hunting down a bowl of noodles.

More: 8 of the world's cutest, coziest, wintriest scenes

5. Alarm clocks (analog)

Travel alarm clocks were once simple things.

A clock inside a fold-up case that beeped or buzzed a few times then shut up, leaving sleepers to awaken only when the midday power cut knocked out the one-speed fan.

Now, of course, there's an app that won't stop announcing the day's itinerary.

A 2008 survey by hotel chain Travelodge claims that, in Britain at least, mobile phones have replaced alarm clocks as the morning's first noise.

Judging by the furors unleashed when thousands of irate iPhone users have blamed their overnight software upgrade for an alarm fail, it's clear the phone hasn't only replaced the alarm clock in huge numbers, it's sometimes less effective.

Those compact clocks that clam-shell to the size of a bar of soap are missed.

Because if nothing else you could at least ignore them.

6. Fold-out maps

The best way to get that tourist look.

With their carefully cartographed hills, cartoon monuments and indecipherable symbols -- is that a toilet or a flower vendor? -- fold-out maps have a pirates' treasure feel to them.

But that's not enough to keep them on top.

The California State Automobile Association closed its paper map business in 2008 while its online travel planner was showing double-digit growth.

The UK's Ordnance Survey, the national mapping authority, announced a sales drop of 25% between 2005 and 2010 as people opted to use smartphones and GPS units.

For better or worse, the days of fighting with a flapping map by the side of a road in a force seven gale are becoming less common.

7. Travelers' checks

The simplicity and ubiquity of the ATM are helping put an end to those awkward conversations with foreign merchants about where you can exchange travelers' checks for real money.

According to data from the U.S. Federal Reserve, the amount of money in outstanding travelers' checks more than halved from a high in 1995 of just more than $9 billion to around $3.6 billion in October 2013.

That said, $3.6 billion isn't chump change.

For those who like to buy things the old fashioned way, travelers' checks can still be useful in many places.

Banks still sell them, as does American Express. Many hotels still accept them.

And if you're interested in currency speculation you may even make a few extra cents from their fixed-at-the-time-of-purchase exchange rate.

More: Best places to see the Northern Lights

8. Photo albums

With mobile phone cameras, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, and sales of film cameras and film tumbling, we've all got far fewer paper pics to fill those romantically fading albums of family, friends and far-flung places.

9. Airline first class

First to go during the crunch.

The "decline of first class" has been making headlines since 1986 -- but it's only since the global financial crisis in 2008 that belt-tightening by airlines has been serious enough to make a world without first-class air travel seem plausible.

Due to smaller business budgets and subsequent decline in sales for this most premium of offerings, many airlines are cutting back their international first-class services.

First class is still available, and it's still a totem of sky-borne indulgence, with prices that often top $15,000 per person for a long-haul trip.

Singapore Airlines offers a private suite with a double bed and champagne, while Air France offers a contemporary art gallery on select planes.

But frequent travelers, and more importantly their bosses and accountants, seem to be more often willing to "downgrade" to business class.

10. Traditional steamer trunks

Nobody but the most vintage-fixated contrarian would deny that improvements in baggage have improved the travel experience.

But it's clear that something is being lost in the march toward a streamlined, easily wheeled future.

The traditional steamer trunk, first conceived when a young Parisian by the name of Louis Vuitton designed something called the "slat trunk," isn't entirely absent from the luggage carousels of today.

But with top-end models tailor-made by LV today going for up to $30,000 apiece, it's little wonder most travelers opt for lighter, cheaper, wheelier versions. ("Why bother with wheels when you have servants?" the trunk crowd may be heard mumbling.)

There's no convincing data on steamer trunk sales available, but these once essential travel boxes are feeling more and more like a relic of a bygone era.

Which is a shame -- an old school travel trunk was emblematic of the traditional "grand tour."

Plastered with stickers from the French Riviera to the Orient, travel trunks may have been tough to carry, but they were undeniably raffish and an integral symbol of a time when the romance of travel was at its peak and the world seemed more alive with mystery and possibility.

How cool is the airplane of the future?

Bastian Schaefer is innovation manager in the Airbus Cabin Innovation Strategy & Concepts department. Within the Airbus Concept Cabin project he was responsible for the ideas that have been the basis for the final industrial design of Concept Cabin's radical approach.
(CNN) -- Imagine a future passenger experience. One that considers both consumer needs and trends in society. One that draws from the next generation of technologies that are changing the flying game. One in which the flying experience reflects air transport's environmental responsibility and thus looks for inspiration from nature.

This is what Airbus designers are busy imagining with the Airbus Concept Cabin: A holistic, future-oriented approach inspired by nature. I discussed this in a TED talk I delivered at TEDGlobal this past June.

The approach is presented in our award-winning "Flying Green Experience" showcase in Hamburg and the amazing Autodesk gallery in San Francisco. These demos offer a platform for discussion and the growth of fresh ideas -- ideas about eco-efficiency combined with eco-effectiveness, and aimed at making sustainability not just another buzzword but something that makes future cabin innovations worth doing.

When looking at future trends in society, we see a couple of core developments shaping the kinds of passengers that will fly and what they will expect.

For instance, women are projected to account for more than 70% of higher-educated students in the UK and for an average of 59% across the nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by 2025. More women business travelers will mean more of a desire for privacy in a very dense area like an aircraft cabin.

The graying members of society will have their own requirements: better accessibility to services on board during flights and less stress during boarding and deboarding. The list goes on: Tall passengers would like more seat pitch, and obese passengers simply need more seat width to enjoy their flight.

Of course, we already have female travelers, old and obese people on board. But in the future passenger landscape, how well their travel needs can be accommodated will have a decisive impact on how they choose to spend their vacation and which vehicle they use to get there.

Their growing awareness of the human impact on the environment will cause them to take responsibility for how they travel. And there could be a time when some are asked to pay a fee for greenhouse gas emissions. Passengers may ultimately select airlines based on their environmental profile, not only by the ticket price.

As we envisioned our future air transportation we needed to consider how technology could help us to combine both passenger comfort and operational efficiency.

We consulted technology experts, futurists and also experts from other industries for their insights, while staying close to our philosophy: "inspired by nature."

For starters, weight reduction is of course key in the aviation industry, and plays a role in improving the environmental profile of the aircraft. It's not enough to build the plane with biodegradable eco-materials if they don't reduce its weight.

But airframe structures are already very efficient in terms of weight and structural performance. How to improve this further, then? One way would be to remove all windows and replace them with "digital windows" or simply displays. But we wanted to look for other weight-reducing solutions that enhanced the passenger experience. Thus we came along with structures that are inspired by such things as bird bones, trees and plants.

A concrete example: Slime mold -- a single-celled organism that lives in soil and can spread rapidly -- creates very efficient redundant structures. This behavior can be transformed in mathematical equations which are implemented into software. Using it, we "create" structures that are very light and stable at the same time.

Another example of inspiration for strong, light structure is the water lily "Victoria Regia" which creates very large leaves that float like pie plates on the water, stable enough for kids to sit on. Nature is full of similar examples and therefore it is in our interest to preserve its natural diversity. We understand nature as an open space from which to get fresh ideas.

We came up with a portfolio of technologies that would help us turn the ideas into something usable and eco-friendly. It included direct manufacturing, fiber optics for data transmission and the idea of transparent Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFPR) as a strong and unorthodox material for the aircraft's outer shell. We were trying to determine how different technologies might evolve in context to others -- important, because only if you understand certain technologies and their huge potential are you able to pick the appropriate ones.

Then we used this portfolio of technologies in the context of passenger needs to rethink the traditional class system in the aircraft.

Our concept plane has three different zones. First we put our focus on the entrance area with wide central doors, "active surfaces" and shape-changing materials. This helped us to create a space which is entirely customizable and transformable during the flight.

As a passenger you won't need to stay in the galley during the flight anymore, when you wish to stand for a while. You will meet other passenger in this "interaction zone" to share your thoughts, play digital sports or just have a drink together. For the airliner, or customers, new business opportunities come along with this.

The interaction zone divides the cabin into two other sections: the "smart tech zone" and the "vitalizing zone." The smart tech zone, which is located in the aft fuselage, is focused on business travelers and people who like to use the latest technologies. It could also feature seating options -- seats that change shape, have increased pitch and even rows that fold up when they're empty.

The vitalizing zone is the big highlight of the concept cabin. It responds to passengers' behavior by tracking their well-being through sensors that can recognize gestures and could perhaps even determine when a passenger is, for example, dehydrated. It could also afford an impressive 360-degree outside view through translucent ceiling and walls.

As a consequence we had to relocate the cockpit to the cargo bay. Yes, in the future we consider that pilots are still important.

You might think that these guys just produced some inspiring pictures of cool, nature-inspired aircraft and futuristic, high-tech interiors. Or maybe you find our concept cabin disturbing and you never would believe that this might even become reality from the technical perspective. Or maybe you only would be afraid to imagine sitting as a passenger under a transparent roof while flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

But the core objective is not to consider whether this imagined future is the only way to go, but to paint a picture of the future -- based on scientific trends and technology research -- so that we can understand the core driving forces for air travel and point towards potential solutions.

You need a picture to make that potential future tangible.

You need a story about the future -- with images to go along with it -- to help extend the imagination. It's how you turn critical reflection on how to use the technology into a vision of aviation that pushes the boundaries even further.

23 reasons it's great to be a tourist

With their worldly sophistication, cheap fisherman pants and penchant for being smiley all the time, tourists can be a much-hated group.

But before you laugh too hard at the lost look in their eyes, or mock too much the clattering chaos of their attempts to board the roof of a minibus with five bags and three cameras swinging from their torsos, understand this: they don't care.

They're having the time of their life. And we all know why. Being a tourist is awesome.

Let us know why being a tourist works for you. Comment below.

1. You can eat like a feudal lord every night, and still lose weight from all the walking. Read more: Guide to Hungary's signature dishes

2. Whether you're terrifying yourself on local transport or basting yourself in the sun next to a bag of beer, it beats what your friends are doing back home.

3. Freedom from the tyranny of socks.

4. The guilt attached to not utilizing your gym subscription is way less severe than it is back home.

"What day is it?" "Feels like Friday."

5. Cold beers on the beach/in a hammock/in bed/in a bar in the middle of the afternoon? Don't mind if I do. Read more: 8 best beer towns in the USA

6. Bringing home a tan and worldly knowledge is like dousing yourself in pheromones. Just be sure to cover up with mosquito spray, to avoid unsightly welts.

7. If you've got any sense, your destination of choice will be significantly cheaper than your home country. Read more: Tightfisted travel poll reveals cheapest trips

8. You can finally finish that book you've been falling asleep with every night for the last three months.

9. The weather. Even the rain seems somehow exotic when abroad. Read more: In defense of rainy days -- why drizzle shouldn't ruin travel

10. The buzz you get walking around a new place knowing you're not at work is one of life's greatest highs.

11. You can get a foot massage every day without anyone thinking you're a fetishist.

In any other clothes you'd look out of place.

12. You can wear anything. Baggy Thai pants with a singlet? Go on, no one will bat an eyelid. Read more: 7 travel fashion trends that should be banned

13. You learn about the country you're visiting through experience, rather than National Geographic. Or CNN Travel.

14. Happy hour is actually worthwhile -- half-price drinks starting just before sunset and extending for at least two hours.

15. You get to try local specialties previously only seen on TV: balut (Philippines), fried monkey toes (Indonesia), tete de veau (calf's head, France) and roasted ants (Columbia). Read more: A traveler's guide to eating insects

16. Those childish antics people get up to in pictures -- fingertips on the top of the Eiffel Tower, posing with fake gladiators at the Coliseum -- yep, you get to do them too now.

17. The nearest you get to cooking is pointing at the fish you want grilled for your dinner.

18. You get to mingle with a range of nationalities. Then escape them the next day. Read more: Who are the world's worst tourists?

19. With minimal effort -- such as sending a postcard -- you make your friends and relatives think you really care.

Now that's what I call a wig.

20. Those 1980s iPod playlists you compiled especially for the trip go down particularly well with others.

21. Tanned fat looks better than pale fat.

22. You get to wantonly fritter away money with the sudden knowledge that experiences are so much more valuable than things.

23. You can finally jettison your mobile phone and laptop without stress. Phileas Fogg wasn't online for hours at a stretch every day and neither should you be.

10 best cities for a winter vacation

Incessant rain and gray skies make winter a trial.

But hot drinks, snowy slopes, frozen lakes and a bright yellow sun?

That's the kind of winter we can all wrap our mittens around.

The cities below aren't necessarily the greatest in the world, but come winter they could just convince you that they are.

Prague, Czech Republic

With its snow-capped spires and cobbled, winding streets, Prague is a fairytale city that remains relatively tourist-free in the winter months.

The stunning architecture looks even prettier under a sheet of snow, with one of the most beautiful areas being the old town, with its turrets and Romanesque vaults.

Gas street lamps were recently reinstalled throughout the city center, adding a romantic hue to evenings.

Cafes here are ideal for escaping the bitter cold.

"Choco Cafe is a great place to take a breather from intense winter sightseeing in the Old Town," says travel blogger Girl in Czechland. "It's full of comfy chairs and sofas and they have more than a dozen kinds of hot chocolate, which is so thick you can practically stand a spoon up it in it."

Where to eat: Lokál Dlouhá. This recently opened restaurant is known for its svíčková na smetaně (beef tenderloin and cream sauce).

Lokál Dlouhá, Dlouhá 33, Prague 1; +420 222 316 265

Where to sleep: The Alchymist Grand Hotel & Spa is a five-star, fairytale-like hotel in the middle of the city's old town.

The Alchymist Grand Hotel & Spa, Tržiště 19, Prague 1; +420 257 286 011

What to do: After the Christmas markets, there's the fascinating Estates Theatre, where Mozart conducted the world premiere of "Don Giovanni" in 1787.

Estates Theatre, Ovocný trh/Železná Street, Prague 1, +420 224 901 448

More: 24 amazing hours in Prague

Salzburg, Austria

With its backdrop of Christmas carols and traditional markets, this is a perfect city for a winter break.

"Silent Night" was performed for the first time in the Oberndorf on the outskirts of Salzburg on Christmas Eve in 1818.

The city's main market is held in the shadow of Salzburg's Hohensalzburg fortress, but the one held in Mirabell Square is especially popular with foodies who come to sample local delicacies such as halusky -- pieces of dumpling mixed with fried bacon.

Where to eat: Goldener Hirsch on Getreidegasse. This beautiful restaurant is located within the old stables of an historic townhouse. The food is traditional Austrian with a modern twist.

Goldener Hirsch, Getreidegasse 37, Salzburg; +43 662 80840; everyday noon-2 p.m. and 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Where to sleep: The Statkrug. A beautiful four-star Austrian hotel with one of the city's best roof terraces.

The Statkrug, Linzergasse 20, Salzburg; +43 662 8735 45-0

What to do: For a different perspective on Christmas, there's the Christmas manger exhibition at the Panorama Museum on Residenzplatz between November 29 and January 12.

Panorama Museum, Residenzplatz 9, Salzburg; +43 662 620808-730; everyday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tromso, Norway

Tromso: One of the world's best spots for northern lights.

There are several reasons Tromso, known as the capital of the Arctic, is great in winter.

It's widely regarded as Norway's most beautiful city and is a base for spotting the northern lights.

More: Best places to see the northern lights

There are also several fascinating museums, including the Polar Museum, which offers an insight into the history of Arctic expeditions, and the Tromso Museum, which is famous for its Sami exhibitions.

Where to eat: Arcantandria is famous for its shellfish.

Arcantandria, Strandtorget 1, Tromsø; +47 77 60 07 20

Where to sleep: The four-star Clarion Post Bryggen has rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning views.

Clarion Post Bryggen, Sjøgata 19-21, Tromsø; +47 77 78 11 00

What to do: The Perspektivet Museum on Storgata offers fascinating insight into Norwegian art.

Perspektivet Museum, Storgata 95, Tromsø; +47 77 60 19 10; Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Amsterdam

In winter, Amsterdam's museums are empty, making it the time to visit attractions such as Rijksmuseum or the Anne Frank House.

Built originally to house a circus, the Royal Carré Theatre celebrated its 125th anniversary last year.

Children will love the spectacular performances, which feature athletes from Russia, North Korea and China.

Where to eat: The cozy Restaurant Greetje has traditional Dutch food (and lots of Delft).

Restaurant Greetje, Peperstraat 23-25, Amsterdam; +31 20 7797 450; Sunday-Friday 6-10 p.m., Saturday 6-11 p.m.

Where to sleep: The beautiful five-star 717 boutique hotel on Prinsegracht is housed inside a former sugar trader's residence.

717 boutique hotel, Prinsengracht 717, Amsterdam; +31 20 4270 717

What to do: For Christmas shopping, smaller shopping areas like Haarlemmerstraat in the Jordaan, the Spiegelkwartier and the Negen Straatjes are better than the big department stores.

More: Insider Guide: Best of Amsterdam

Nagano, Japan

As a former Winter Olympics host city, Nagano is a great base for exploring nearby ski resorts.

The natural hot springs on the outskirts are perfect after a day on the slopes.

Beautiful, snow-covered Buddhist temples are worth checking out, as is the Togakushi Minzoku-kan folklore museum, which has a fascinating display about the ninjas who once trained there.

A top tip?

"The Neapolitan pizza oven place Qui E La that's tucked away in a private home in the woods is an even more welcome refuge in winter," says travel blogger Una, founder of lets-get-lost.com.

Where to eat: Fujiki-an on Daimonkikyocho is famous for its soba noodles, which they've been making since 1827. A picture menu makes ordering easy.

Fujiki-an, 67 Daimonkikyocho, Nagano, +81 26 232 2531

Where to sleep: Hotel JAL city on Toigoshomach is a short walk from both the train station and one of Japan's largest wooden temples -- in winter the views over snowy Nagano are breathtaking.

Hotel JAL city, 1221 Toigosyo-machi, Nagano-shi, +81 26 225 1131

What to do: The Zenkō-ji temple, built in the 7th century, ranks as the third largest wooden temple in Japan.

Zenkō-ji (Japanese only), 491-i Nagano-Motoyoshicho, Nagano-shi; +81 26 234 3591

Reykjavík, Iceland

Hiding within -- great geothermal pools.

Although Iceland's capital city is one of Europe's coldest spots, it has plenty of natural hot springs to warm up in (some of the best can be found in the Nauthólsvík area of the city).

The annual Winter Lights Festival, which takes place in February, is a spectacular celebration of winter.

Visitors can try their hand at a wide range of winter sports or skate on the city's Tjörnin pond.

Many cozy coffee houses sell rúgbrauð -- locally made, dark, sweet bread.

"An unmissable experience during winter is a dip in one of the city's many outdoor geothermal swimming pools," says Eliza Reid, who co-founded icelandwritersretreat.com with Erica Green.

"There is no experience quite like soaking in these naturally warm waters with snowflakes tickling your nose. Each swimming pool has its own character and everyone has their favorite."

Where to eat: Dill restaurant in the Nordic House cultural center. Chef Gunnar Karl Gislason is passionate about local produce and the food here is some of the freshest in Iceland.

Dill restaurant, Sturlugötu 5, Reykjavík; +354 552 1522

Where to sleep: Owned by Icelandair, Hotel Marina is a quirky, colorful hotel located in one of the city's trendiest districts.

Hotel Marina, Myrargata 2, Reykjavik; +354 560 8000

What to do: Harpa, the city's concert hall, was designed by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson to reflect Iceland's geology. It's constructed from more than a thousand glass blocks.

Harpa, Austurbakki 2, Reykjavík, +354 428 5000; daily, 8 a.m.-midnight

More: How to be a Reykjaviker: 8 ways to be cool in Iceland

Berlin

Christmas markets are the ideal destination for pre-Christmas retail therapy -- Berlin has more than 60 of them.

With a miniature train and puppeteers, the market at Mitte at the Rote Rathaus is ideal for children.

Gendarmenmarkt is famous for handcrafted goods.

The two-story Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas store on Kurfürstendamm is worth a look -- it's open all year and sells everything from tree decorations to candles. With 6,500 restaurants, 546 ice cream parlors and cafes and 2,800 snack stalls, there's no shortage of food.

Where to eat: Die Berliner Republik on Schiffbauerdamm is famous for both its food (currywurst is a specialty) and its beer, thanks to a stock exchange-style system that allows drinkers to purchase their favorite beer at rock bottom prices -- if they order at the right time.

Die Berliner Republik, Schiffbauerdamm 8, Berlin; +49 30 308 722 93.

Where to sleep: Hotel Otto on Knesebeckstraße is located in one of Berlin's quieter neighborhoods. Extras include a "surprise" button in the lift.

Hotel Otto, Knesebeckstrasse 10, Berlin; +49 30 54 71 00 80

What to do: Dr Pong on Eberswalder Strasse much surely rank as one of Berlin's quirkier bars. It's a ping pong bar, and perfectly sums up Berlin's underground nightlife scene.

Dr Pong, Eberswalder Strasse 21, Berlin; Monday-Saturday 8 p.m.-late, Sunday 7 p.m.-late (May-September), 6 p.m.-late (October-April)

Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa's Winterlude festival is one of the world's largest winter festivals.

It takes place from January 31 to February 17 and is famous for its ice sculptures, outdoor concerts and toboggan courses.

The Christmas Lights Across Canada scheme, which runs from December 5 to January 7, sees some of the city's largest monuments and buildings bedecked with Christmas lights.

From January, the city has the world's coolest commute -- the 7.8-kilometer (4.8-mile) Rideau Canal Skateway, which is used by commuters, schoolchildren and students to get through the heart of downtown.

Where to eat: Restaurant 18 on York Street serves traditional Canadian cuisine with a modern twist.

Restaurant 18, 18 York St., Ottawa; +1 613 244 1188

Where to sleep: The Arc Hotel is a warm winter retreat, with a fire in the lobby and complimentary champagne for guests.

Arc Hotel, 140 Slater St., Ottawa; +1 613 238 2888

What to do: From January to February visitors can take a spin on the world's largest natural ice rink -- the Rideau Canal.

Rideau Canal Skateway; +1 613 239 5234; January-February

More: How to pretend you're Canadian when you travel

Washington D.C.

Lightning up a white Christmas every year.

If you're arriving in Washington DC by rail, you shouldn't miss the enormous, 30-foot Christmas tree that was given to Union Station by the Embassy of Norway.

In November and December, the ZooLights show at the National Zoo opens late and stages spectacular light shows.

The White House and Lincoln Memorial look especially beautiful in the snow.

During winter months, the Washington Ballet stages performances the Nutcracker.

Where to eat: Equinox Restaurant specializes in what its head chef refers to as "Mid-Atlantic cuisine." He basically means fish, and lots of it.

Equinox Restaurant, 818 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; +1 202 331 8118, Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Thursday 5:30-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5:30-10:30 p.m., Sunday 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Where to sleep: The Palomar is a small, vibrant hotel just a short walk from the Whitehouse, the National Mall and the Smithsonian.

Hotel Palomar, 2121 P St., Washington, D.C.; +1 202 448 1800

What to do: Zoolights at Washington Zoo kicks off on November 29 and lasts until January 1. Half a million individual LEDS turn the popular attraction into a veritable winter wonderland.

Zoolights at the Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; +1 202 633 4888; November 29-January 1, daily, 5-9 p.m.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Cobbled streets, a beautiful castle and lovely public gardens make Edinburgh a beautiful city any time of year, but in winter it's breathtaking.

Since the launch of Virgin Atlantic's Little Red service, it's even easier to get to, with regular flights between other UK cities including Manchester and London.

Princes Street Gardens are transformed into a wonderland, complete with ice skating rink, enormous Christmas tree and a Ferris wheel, all in the shadow of the castle.

On the edge of the city, Arthur's Seat is the perfect location for a winter walk and the views from the top are second to none.

Where to eat: Edinburgh isn't about haggis and tatties. For fine dining, One Square restaurant and bar at the Sheraton Grand on Festival Square is the place to go. The drinks menu is impressive -- there are 52 types of gin to choose from.

One Square, 1 Festival Square, Edinburgh, +44 131 221 6422; daily, 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Where to sleep: Jurys Inn is a short walk from the main attractions and offers a warm Scottish welcome.

Jurys Inn, 43 Jeffrey St., Edinburgh; +44 131 200 3300

What to do: A tour around Edinburgh's underground vaults is a great way to learn about the city's fascinating history.

Eight must-see Budapest buildings

Just about every capital city in Eastern Europe seems to have been called "the Paris of the East" at some point.

Unlike most other cities in the region, however, Budapest doesn't need the comparison.

The grand old dame on the Danube is one of Europe's finest capitals by any measure.

The eight landmark buildings below give you a feel for both Pest and Buda -- originally separate cities, divided by the river, but united about 150 years ago to form the modern metropolis.

Visit these sights in the order presented here and they form a walking tour of sorts (see map to the left), albeit with the option of jumping on public transport or taking the odd taxi.

Taxis are easy to spot in their bright new yellow livery. Take the subway and you'll be traveling on the world's second oldest underground railway and, on Line 1, a World Heritage Site.

Parliament

Taking 17 years to build and completed in 1902, this neo-Gothic structure was partly inspired by the UK's Palace of Westminster.

British politician-turned-broadcaster Michael Portillo memorably described it as "one of the most beautiful legislatures in the world, a cathedral of democracy."

Kossuth Lajos Square in front of the building is being renovated, so the best views are currently from the river (Parliament is right on the Pest embankment) or the opposite Buda banks.

St. Stephen's Basilica

Taking even longer -- 50 years -- than Parliament to complete, the biggest church in Budapest finally opened in 1906.

During construction the building's dome collapsed and two of the three lead architects died.

St. Stephen's Basilica contains the mummified hand -- called the "Holy Right" -- of Hungary's founding king-saint, Stephen (István).

The dome is the same height as Parliament -- current legislation forbids anything higher, so Budapest isn't going to get its own version of London's Shard any time soon.

The church is free to enter, though it costs 500 forints ($2.30) to climb up to the observation deck surrounding the 96-meter high dome (closed from November to the end of March).

St. Stephen's Basillica, Szent István tér 1, 1051 Budapest; more on VisitBudapest.travel

Hungarian State Opera House

A lot of building rivalry has gone on in Budapest.

The Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph approved (and partially paid for) the construction of an opera house in the city on the condition it was no bigger than the one in Vienna.

Smaller it may have been but it was far more opulent -- the emperor's reported reaction on seeing it at the grand opening in 1884 was to mutter, "These Hungarians!"

You can visit the ornate building on a tour but, even better, see it while watching an opera or ballet performance.

Another World Heritage Site, the opera house is located on Andrássy út, Budapest's grand boulevard full of high-end shops and other magnificent buildings.

Hungarian State Opera House, Andrássy út 22, 1061 Budapest; +36 1 814-7100; more information on performance tickets or guided tours

More: 11 things to know before visiting Hungary

Dohány utca Synagogue

Also known as the Great Synagogue, this is one of the largest Jewish temples in the world.

Consecrated in 1859, the Moorish revival-style building is a center of Neolog Judaism, a moderate reformed branch of the religion.

The complex also includes a museum and, in the rear courtyard, a memorial to Jewish Holocaust victims in the form of a weeping willow with the names of the dead and disappeared inscribed on the leaves.

An estimated 565,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered in World War II from a prewar population of more than 800,000.

Dohány utca Synagogue, Dohány utca 2, 1074 Budapest; +36 1 343 0420

First bridge to stick Buda and Pest together permanently.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

Budapest is a city of bridges, but the Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd) is the granddaddy of them all -- in 1849 it became the first permanent span linking Buda and Pest.

Commissioned by a Hungarian count, after whom it is named, the 375-meter-long suspension bridge was designed by an English engineer and built under the supervision of a Scot.

As with all Budapest bridges, the original was blown up during the siege of the city in World War II -- a broadly similar replacement opened to traffic in 1947.

The bridge is at its most spectacular at night, when fully illuminated.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge spans the Danube between Széchenyi tér on the Pest side and Adam Clark tér in Buda.

More: Budapest's best 'ruin bars'

Royal Palace

The Castle District, yet another World Heritage Site (why not just designate the whole town a World Heritage Site?), dominates the Buda skyline.

Although it actually lacks a castle, the Royal Palace, dominating the southern end, is magnificent.

A royal residence from the 1300s to the end of the Hungarian monarchy in the early 20th century, it was rebuilt time and again through numerous sieges and wars.

It now houses the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery and the National Széchenyi Library.

Like the Széchenyi Bridge, the palace looks particularly magical each evening, when floodlights are switched on.

Royal Palace, Szent György tér 2, 1014 Budapest; +36 1 224 3700

The medieval fisherman's guild smells better now.

Fisherman's Bastion

So named because the fisherman's guild was responsible for protecting this section of the medieval defenses, this isn't a building so much as a glorified wall.

What you see today was built between 1895 and 1902 to replace the former castle wall and designed to harmonize with neighboring Matthias (Mátyás) Church.

The bastion's seven turrets represent the seven Hungarian tribes.

They weren't designed to keep people out, but to provide a vantage point -- the panorama they offer over the river (both embankments are -- you guessed it -- also a World Heritage Site) is breathtaking.

Fisherman's Bastion, Hess András tér 1-3, 1014 Budapest

More: Why misers should head for Budapest

National Theater

Proof that not every Budapest building worth seeing need be more than 100 years old, the National Theater opened on the Pest Embankment, next to the Palace of Arts, in 2002.

The eclectic modern design includes references to much of the city's historic architecture but also incorporates a lot of glasswork.

The public park in which the theater sits has a sculptured entrance gate in the form of theater curtains, statues of popular Hungarian actors in their most famous roles scattered about and a maze -- just in case you're not tired of walking around.