In tourism, history is big business. Arguably the planet's greatest repository of global history is the British Museum, which calls itself "the first national museum of the world". Collectors brought the world to London (often in ways that "are no longer current or acceptable", the museum concedes). Today, the world comes to the capital to wander through the past and around the planet – from ancient Egypt to Aztec Mexico. For the vast majority of people in previous generations, the British Museum was as close as they could hope to get to experiencing these cultures. In the 21st century, we can travel more widely, more safely and less expensively than ever before. And yet both UK and overseas visitors converge on the British Museum. It is the most popular tourist attraction in the UK; the current chairman, George Osborne, brags: "We get more visitors than Venice." These painstakingly assembled fragments of humanity are yours to discover any day of the year (apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day). Handily, the main collection is free. But between now and 23 February next year, I recommend you invest £22, and a good few hours, in travelling the Silk Roads – the title of the new exhibition that opened yesterday. It will transform your understanding of how Europe, Asia and Africa connected in the half millennium from AD500. |
|
|
Smooth as silk: Hazrat Imam Mosque in Tashkent, Uzbekistan |
|
|
| Whether you're after charming retreats, luxury hideaways or peaceful havens, these are some of the best. Read more. |
|
|
| From Michelin-starred restaurants to luxury boutique hotels, how to live like the ultra-wealthy. Read more. |
|
|
| From ski resorts to prehistoric ruins and mountain hikes to Michelin-stars, these are the spots to visit. Read more. |
|
| At The Independent, nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own mind and aren't afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences. With your support, we challenge the status quo, uncover crucial stories, and amplify unheard voices. If you like what we do, do take out a subscription and help support the best quality online-only journalism. |
|
|
In popular imagination, the long and winding Silk Road was a medieval motorway for spice-bearing camels plodding from China via Samarkand and Constantinople to Venice. But there never was a solitary Silk Road. The plural term Silk Roads gathers together the tangle of arteries through which trade, ideas and culture flowed for five centuries. "Silk Roads was originally conceived as a way of trying to think about exchange networks of all kinds," says Peter Frankopan. When you need a perspective on global history, Peter is your man. He is professor of global history at Worcester College Oxford; Unesco professor of Silk Roads studies at King's College Cambridge; and guiding mind for the new British Museum spectacular. "In the exhibition here we have connections between Scandinavia and Central Asia and the Indian Ocean. We have daggers and swords that were made in probably the Black Sea area found in graves in Korea. Those connections go back 1,500 years." Scotland and Ireland get a look in – as does Sutton Hoo, the Anglo-Saxon royal burial site in Suffolk. Jewellery studded with Sri Lankan gems shows the so-called Dark Ages were a time of enrichment for humanity. The British Museum should inspire a desire to explore much more in the wild, visiting those Eurasian lands embroidered with stories. "Travel opens your horizons," says Peter. "It widens your perspective. It's about learning." But the museum is a good place to start, he says: "History can be beautiful just to study on its own." Weird and wonderful Tashkent |
|
|
Experience the best of Thailand! |
|
|
Chicago-Florida train starts in November |
Whatever might happen in the US presidential election on 5 November, less than a week later America gets a new long-distance train. From 10 November 2024 the Floridian will link Chicago with Orlando, Tampa and Miami via Washington DC – but only for a limited spell. The new train is actually a merger of two existing trains. The first is the Capitol Limited, which runs from Chicago via Cleveland and Pittsburgh to Washington DC; the second, the Silver Star from New York City via Washington DC, Charleston and Savannah to Miami. While the East River Tunnel project in New York is taking place, capacity in and out of Manhattan will be reduced – and the Silver Star is one of the cancellations, for years rather than months.
Amtrak is removing the NYC-Washington segment of the Silver Star and tagging the Florida-bound train on to the existing service from Chicago to the American capital, allowing direct rail access from the Windy City to Orlando, Tampa and Miami. The full trip will take almost 48 hours in either direction, for a basic coach class fare of $113 (£85) one way. The link is expected to continue until 2027. |
NZ trip planned? Apply now to save cash |
Planning to travel to New Zealand at any time in the next couple of years? Apply for your NZ Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) by 1pm UK time on Monday 30 September. That corresponds with midnight in New Zealand at the start of 1 October, when the price of the essential permission increases by NZ$65 (£31). The reason: the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which is part of the NZeTA, will rise on that date from NZ$35 to NZ$100. But if you apply in time, you pay the lower rate for any visit of up to six months within the next two years. For the lowest cost, apply via the official app, NZeTA. Avoid the many scam websites.
The IVL "is aimed at maintaining and protecting the tourism infrastructure and natural environment in New Zealand", the government in Wellington says. New Zealand's new Dark Sky Reserve |
|
|
Midwinter in western Canada? |
| |
Would you recommend a trip to Vancouver in January? |
|
|
I love Canada's big, beautiful west-coast city – but I would never be inclined to visit in midwinter. Much of Vancouver's intense attraction involves outdoor life. In January the temperature struggles to exceed 6C and rain is expected on most days. While you might get lucky with some sunshine, the days are short (nine hours or less of daylight). Compare that with late March, when days are warmer and offer at least 12 hours between sunrise and sunset. The brighter days will make all the difference for appreciating the spectacular harbour setting.
In spring – or right through to October – you will be able to savour experiences such as the shoreline bike ride around Stanley Park and the trip out to the Museum of Anthropology. And Grouse Mountain, Vancouver's very own 4,000-foot mountain just to the north of the city, offers skiing as late as May.
The city has plenty of cultural attractions, though regrettably what promises to be the spectacular new Vancouver Art Gallery is now unlikely to open before 2028 (which is when I plan to make my next visit), eight years later than the original plan.
Vancouver's added superpower is its proximity to some other superb North American locations. The British Columbia capital, Victoria, is a ferry voyage or a seaplane flight away at the foot of Vancouver Island. From here you can sail across to the San Juan Islands, part of US territory, and onward to Seattle – another great city, and from where you can take the amazing Cascades train along the coast and back to Vancouver. Now that's what I call a great western railway. Vancouver city guide |
|
|
| Challenge your knowledge with the Mount Cleverest trivia game! Perfect for staycations or as a stocking filler – grab yours for only £12. |
|
|
| Keep your toothbrush clean and protected while travelling – this handy 2-pack of holders is just £3.50. |
|
|
| Be the first to see big travel stories by following me on X/Twitter @SimonCalder. My direct messages are open – and I try to reply to as many as possible. |
|
|
| Follow me on Instagram @Simon_Calder. Join me here live every weekend at 5.30pm British time as I answer your travel questions. |
|
|
Join the conversation or follow us |
|
| Download the free Independent app |
|
|
Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Travel newsletter. To unsubscribe from The Independent's Travel newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345
Read our privacy notice and cookie policy
|
|
|
|
0 comentários:
Postar um comentário