You see aspects of his paintings wherever you look: on Cézanne’s trail in Aix-en-Provence, France

It’s easy to see why the chic town in the south of France made such an impression on the famous artist A slice of Parisian chic in the south of France, Aix-en-Provence is an idyllic place to while away an autumn weekend. In July and August, the Roman boulevards bake – the heat here is more intense than coastal Marseille just 30km away – and the rows of elegant plane trees along the Cours Mirabeau offer little respite. But come in November or early spring and the place is lively, thanks to a university population of 80,000, and the cafés and restaurants in its many leafy squares are vibrant and busy. The weather is crisper and fresher, too, meaning there’s more to do and less excuse not to try out the many walking and hiking trails around the town, including Mont Sainte-Victoire, the craggy peak that rises to 3,300ft to the east of the city. Sainte-Victoire has iconic status in Aix. It’s almost inseparable from the work of Paul Cézanne, who painted its pitted grey angles more than 80 times. His style evolving from impressionism to something else altogether. The bold geometric shapes and abstract lines that came out of these compositions would inspire Picasso, earning Cézanne the title of founding father of modern art. Continue reading...

Tour Operator Tech Revolution and Other Top Stories This Week

In Skift's top stories this week, tour operators use tech to get a boost post-pandemic, Asian destinations are incentivising travelers, and Hilton predicts a continued boom in hotel demand. -Justin Dawes

Skiing in Scotland: ‘On a good day it’s up there with anywhere in the world’

With five resorts all a two-hour drive from Aviemore, the Highlands glitter with the promise of ski adventures – and whisky Take a right from the top lift at Glencoe Mountain Resort and you will quickly be confronted with one of the greatest views in Scottish skiing. The rugged bulk of Buachaille Etive Mòr, often called Scotland’s most beautiful mountain, overlooks the deep valley of Glencoe, just around the corner from the “007 Skyfall road”. The panorama then leads past the Devil’s Staircase, on the West Highland Way walking route, and round to Rannoch Moor, one of Europe’s great wildernesses, a sprawling peat moor dotted with lochans and ringed by rolling hills. This is a glen hailed in guidebooks – and one that snowboarders and skiers in the UK can access in the atmospheric glimmer of winter at a fraction of what they would pay for a trip to the Alps or North America (weekday lift pass £30, £35 weekends), making it a budget option – with a much lower carbon footprint, too. Continue reading...

A canal walk to a great pub: the Aqueduct Inn, Llangollen, Wales

It’s not on every walk you see boats float across the sky. The Pontcysyllte aqueduct, and the detour along Offa’s Dyke Path, are worth pondering over a fine pint The canal boat drifted gently across the sky, 40 metres above the ground. Two men in a canoe followed. They were wearing lifejackets, although parachutes might have been more appropriate. There is, it is safe to say, nowhere else in the world that you can float your boat so far off the ground as on this bit of the Llangollen canal, on Thomas Telford’s masterpiece, the Pontcysyllte aqueduct. It is a 307-metre long cast-iron trough perched on 18 stone arches that stride across the Dee valley in north Wales, a world heritage site that justifies its listing by being a genuine marvel of the Industrial Revolution. Continue reading...

Along beaches and rivers, through street art and history: the UK’s top city walks chosen by readers

From York’s chocolate factories to a loop of London and Spaghetti Junction from below, our tipsters share fabulous urban hikes. Scroll down to see the winner This walk between Kelvinbridge and St Enoch subway stations follows Glasgow’s River Kelvin before it joins the more famous River Clyde, which leads you to the centre of the city. It’s full of contrast, leading through quiet riverside parks and by the side of busy dual carriageways, and passing some of Glasgow’s most interesting museums and galleries, including Kelvingrove, Kelvin Hall and the Riverside Museum. You’ll see reminders of the river’s past alongside the modern exhibition centre, arena and hotels promising a very different future. Graham Dean Continue reading...

China Closes Universal Studios Beijing, Locks Down Parts of Wuhan

China is clearly not willing to let its guard down in a hurry. The country is persistent about sticking to its stringent zero-Covid policy. -Peden Doma Bhutia

Tour Operator Tech’s Next Big Thing

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at tour operator tech advances, JetBlue’s holiday warning, and what’s driving Arctic tourism’s growth. -Jason Clampet

Drones circling over Snowdonia could bring life-saving mobile signal to remote areas

A prototype craft that will fly network telecoms starts trials with north Wales mountain rescue services next year Drones circling above the peaks of Snowdonia, providing an airborne mobile network in remote areas, may soon become a feature of the region’s mountain rescue operation. The drones – like small unmanned gliders but with twin engines – would carry equipment providing 4G and 5G connectivity that would link mountain rescue teams and other emergency services with people stranded, lost or injured in remote hills where the mobile phone signal is often patchy or nonexistent. Continue reading...

Diwali: Hindu festival of lights celebrations around the world – in pictures

Diwali, one of the most popular Hindu festivals, is celebrated by devotees all over the world. Also known as the festival of lights, it symbolises the victory of good over evil and commemorates Lord Ram’s return to the Ayodhya kingdom after a 14-year exile Continue reading...

Riding the new Rebellion Way: a cycling adventure through Norfolk’s history

A 232-mile cycle loop around the county offers pastoral charms, big skies and a look back at the region’s surprisingly defiant side As King Prasutagus of the Iceni was dying in AD60, he reneged on an agreement with the incumbent Roman emperor, Nero, to hand over his land in East Anglia. Instead, he passed joint ownership to his kin. Nero’s man on the ground took exception to this volte-face and ordered that the territory be annexed and his family humiliated. Prasutagus’s widow – a certain Boudicca – was enraged. “In the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh,” wrote historian Cassius Dio. Mounting her chariot, she led a revolt south and her army cut down about 70,000 Romans. So devastating was her attack, Nero nearly threw in the towel. Alas, legions were dispatched from Cambria (Wales) and Boudicca’s boys were defeated. Continue reading...

Forests forever: holidays to take you deep into Britain’s woods

The 10 best treehouses, tipis, cottages and cabins hidden in the fairytale forests of Britain Wild ponies and deer will be your neighbours in this remote, dog-friendly two-bedroom New Forest thatched cottage with wood burner, hidden at the bottom of a woodland track. Two more guests can stay in the Fishing Lodge across the terrace, with rolling gardens overlooking the River Avon, home to otters. Close to the village of Fordingbridge, walk or cycle into the magical New Forest straight from the front door. One-week stay from £1,570 in low season; undercastlecottage.co.uk; thenewforest.co.uk Continue reading...

American Airlines Is All in On Premium Seats

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at American’s bet on upgraded seating, the tourism shift from Asia to Europe, and Google and Expedia’s outlooks on flight search. -Jason Clampet

Airlines expect smooth half-term getaways from England after summer disruption

British Airways and easyJet confident of fulfilling schedule in busiest weekend before Christmas The chaos affecting international air travel in the summer has been firmly stowed away, according to UK aviation firms, with a smooth getaway expected in the busiest weekend before Christmas. Passenger numbers for the biggest carriers and airports will peak at the start of what is for many the October half-term holiday, with easyJet and British Airways confident of fulfilling their schedule, and Heathrow to lift its passenger capacity cap later this month. Continue reading...

Virgin Boeing 747 to launch rocket into space

At the far southwestern tip of England, dangling into the Atlantic, the remote region of Cornwall rarely feels like the center of the world.

Steam trains, shipwrecks and Peter Pan’s garden: 10 great UK family days out for half-term and autumn

Exploring ice tunnels, apple pressing and dolphin spotting are just a few of our ideas to keep kids happy The famous engine will be 100 years old next February, and to kick off celebrations marking its centenary, the locomotive will be steaming up and down the heritage Swanage Railway during half-term. Continue reading...

The hunt for the world's most elusive shipwrecks

In March 2022, the world let out a collective gasp when the remarkably preserved shipwreck of Ernest Shackleton's HMS Endurance was discovered almost two miles beneath the icy Antarctic seas.

Airbus Secures $3.9 Billion Order From UK Airline and Tour Operator Jet2

This strategic order guarantees a much larger fleet in the next decade, and is as strong a signal as any that the travel company predicts demand for package vacations will just keep growing and growing. -Matthew Parsons

The Future of Travel in 175+ Charts

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at the state of travel in 2022 and beyond, Montage’s expansion plans, and upgrades to upper class passenger experience. -Jason Clampet

6 Themes for Hotel Earnings Season

Expect analysts in the next few weeks to be eyeing the group bookings recovery, Europe's energy supply shock, hubris about property pipelines, currency turmoil, China's fragility, and opportunities in lifestyle properties. -Sean O'Neill

Eurowings Pilots Plan 3-Day Strike Monday

Pilots at Eurowings have a lot of leverage now given the labor shortage and all of the disruption taking place at European airports. -Dennis Schaal

5 Charts That Bullish Airline CEOs Need to See on Corporate Travel’s Recovery

Airline bosses might be living in a parallel universe, because it’s unlikely this abrupt revival of corporate travel will be able to hold its momentum over the next few quarters, a new report from the U.S. Travel Association shows. -Matthew Parsons

The European capital of cool that keeps getting cooler

Lisbon is in the midst of a renaissance. The latest European capital of cool's affordable rents, great nightlife and gorgeous streets -- which wind high into the hills from the River Tagus -- have seen younger travelers arrive in their droves in recent years, enjoying extended stays thanks to dedicated "digital nomad" visas.

Are you brave enough to sleep in the 'Ghostbusters' firehouse this Halloween?

There's something strange going on in this Oregon neighborhood.

All the restaurants Stanley Tucci visited in season two of 'Searching for Italy'

After watching the wanderlust-inducing "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," you'll undoubtedly be hungry.

Animal sacrifices and pagan worship on the edge of Europe

An untouched and remote region in northeastern Georgia, Tusheti is a wild trekking paradise of mountains and ancient villages where pagan rites are still observed alongside Christian beliefs.

These red onions are so sweet that Italians turned them into ice cream

Tropea is famous for its red onions. They are so sweet, they can be served in pasta, preserves and ice cream. Tune in Sundays at 9 p.m. ET to watch all-new episodes of "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy."

Tell us about a favourite museum or gallery in Europe – you could win a holiday voucher

Share a tip on a visit to a mainland Europe institution that you particularly enjoyed – the best tip wins £200 towards a Sawday’s stay We would like to hear about your favourite museums and art galleries in Europe. Whether it is a world-renowned institution in Paris or Vienna or an underground gem in a smaller town, tell us about an art gallery or museum you love and why, for your chance to win a Sawday’s voucher. Please do not include details of a UK gallery this time; we’ll save that for another time. Continue reading...

It’s a party for the palate: readers’ favourite UK food festivals

From foraging near Loch Lomond to garlic tasting on the Isle of Wight, our tipsters reveal the best of British foodie gatherings. Scroll down for the winning tip The best producers from across the south-west head to this gorgeous seafront setting to showcase their food and drink at the Eat Festival. It’s free to attend, so bring the whole family – even the dog! After sampling the wares and enjoying the entertainments, including jugglers and DJ sets, finish your visit off with a walk along the cob or roll up your trousers and have a paddle (weather permitting). Eat festivals in south-west England continue through to 11 December. Martin Scott Continue reading...