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Travel tips

Bolzano “fuses Austrian food, wines, language and sensible opening hours with Italian brio”.

Where should I go during a holiday to Europe in December?

Towns and villages that are alive and bustling in the summer tend to shut down when the temperature drops, but cities maintain their vitality.

  • Michael Gebicki
Austria’s lakeside village of Hallstatt is popular with tourists so choose the time and manner of your own visit carefully.

The world’s 10 most charming villages (plus five in Australia)

Small as they are, villages can be easier to bypass than towns. But it pays to slow down and discover these diminutive delights from around the world and here at home.

  • Brian Johnston
Hotel breakfasts are one of the biggest rip-offs in travel.

Hotel breakfasts are a big rip-off. Here’s how I get them for free

It’s eggs on toast, not eye fillet – so why are we sometimes charged upwards of $60 a person for that mere morning meal?

  • Chris Chamberlin
Saint-Tropez: tantilisingly out of reach.

When travel plans go wrong, we could all learn from the French

Many stereotypes about French people are true: they can be rude, are proud, and strike at the drop of a hat. But they also have another important quality.

  • Chrissie McClatchie
The new system is aimed primarily at improving border security.

Two-hour waits, missed flights: EU’s new entry system rolled out

The European Union’s new digital border control system has finally been fully implemented, despite issues causing long delays at airports. Here’s what you need to know.

  • Lyubov Pronina
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Colourful city: The La Boca district in Buenos Aires.

The northern hemisphere seems too much trouble. For a great holiday, look south

These days I’m certainly thinking more of travelling “across” rather than “up”.

  • Lee Tulloch
Pre-existing conditions can be something that’s long term or that happens suddenly before a trip.

Asthma, acne or anxiety? What you need to tell your travel insurer before you fly

Pre-existing medical conditions are easily overlooked, especially when they’re relatively minor, but they could end up costing you thousands.

  • Michael Gebicki
Melbourne: I’d probably like it.

I have a confession: I’m a travel writer, but I’ve never been to Melbourne

I live just 90 minutes’ flight away in Sydney, but for some reason the call of overseas has always been stronger than heading south to our second-largest city.

  • Paul Marshall
Water therapy in the Maldives.

In stressful times, here are 12 of the world’s calmest destinations

From remote places on the other side of the world to our own backyard, these are spots where you can switch off and feel your stress levels dip.

  • Ben Groundwater
Bright colours won’t necessarily signal that you’re a tourist, but be mindful of your behaviour.

Will how I dress make me a target for pickpockets in Europe?

My clothes are brightly coloured with bold patterns. I’m concerned this may make me a target for pickpockets or, possibly worse, mistaken for an American.

  • Michael Gebicki