Winter sun
From the Canary Islands and Maderia, to Dubai, Barbados and Cape Town: these are the cities where it is hot in December, and these are the hotels that will make your trip unforgettabale.
Expedia GroupWeek 42
This is when the best winter trips get booked. Week 41: sun for November and December, the Christmas markets worth the flight and the places with the best odds of northern lights.
Hotels
From the Canary Islands and Cape Verde to Dubai, Luxor, Phuket and Miami: these are the places where it is hot in November, with one hotel in each that makes the trip worth it.
Flights and hotels
From a four hour hop to the Canaries to a long flight to the Caribbean or Thailand. Where it is warm in winter, how to book flight and hotel together and twelve hotels we rate.
Hotels
Andalusia is Spain at its most sensual, with orange trees, flamenco and tapas late into the night. These are the hotels we would choose in Seville and Málaga, plus one on the Costa del Sol.
Long-haul
A leopard lies in a marula tree ten metres from the vehicle, and the guide switches off the engine. How to combine a Kruger safari with the winelands and Table Mountain in Cape Town.
Long-haul
The kecak dance begins as the sun sinks into the sea below Uluwatu Temple, and a hundred voices chant in rhythm. The best things to do in Bali, area by area, and where to stay.
Long-haul
Thousands of wildebeest gather on the riverbank and hesitate. Then the first one jumps and the rest follow. How to plan a Kenya safari, from Nairobi to the Masai Mara and Mount Kenya.
Long-haul
Hundreds of elephants come down to the river to drink as the sun sets behind your boat. How to combine a Botswana safari with Victoria Falls, and where to stay.
Christmas
Mulled wine in hand, lights over the square and your hotel just round the corner. These are the cities with Europe’s best Christmas markets, and the hotels we would book.
Flights and hotels
Christmas lunch by the pool, a reindeer sleigh in the dark or carols on Fifth Avenue. How to choose a Christmas holiday abroad, when to book and ten hotels we would pick.
Experiences
Mulled wine in Gamla stan, the gingerbread town in Bergen and Tivoli in lights. The best Christmas markets in the Nordics, when they open and the hotels in the middle of the festive buzz.
Opplevelser
Torches, horse and sleigh and mulled wine in the snow. Norway’s Christmas markets have an atmosphere the big European markets lack. Here are the 2026 dates for Oslo, Bergen, Røros and Trondheim, and the hotels in the middle of it all.
Northern lights
From Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands to Abisko, Finnish Lapland and Iceland: where your chances of seeing the aurora are highest, and the hotels where you can step straight out into the dark.
Vegard Stien / Visit Tromsø
Flights and hotels
Green ribbons over a frozen lake, a hot pool under the sky and a guide who knows where the clouds are thin. Where to go, how to book and nine hotels for a northern lights holiday.
Cities
For those hunting the northern lights, Tromsø is one of the safest bets. And while you are waiting for the magical light, you can enjoy pulsating nightlife, restaurants with Arctic food on the menu, and spectacular nature experiences.
Destinations
There are not many places on Earth where you can experience this sight. On magical Andøya in Norway, rockets are launched at the same time as nature's own fireworks, the northern lights, dance across the sky and compete for your attention.
Picolo recommends
Norwegian mountaineer and adventurer Kristin Harila and Tenjen Lama Sherpa set a new world record in 2023 for climbing the 14 highest mountains in the world in record time.
Hotels
For many travellers, it is the destination itself is most important when going on a trip. Accommodation usually comes in second. But why resign yourself to boring chain hotels, Airbnb, and tents? Here are some of the world's most amazing hotels.
Hotels
From a rooftop pool in Frogner to the fjord right below your balcony on Tjuvholmen: these are Picolo's ten favourite luxury hotels in Oslo, and where to stay to make the most of the city.
Opplevelser
From the shelf of Preikestolen above the Lysefjord to the ridge of Besseggen. Norway has some of the world’s most spectacular hikes. Here are the five we think you should prioritise, when to go and where to stay.
Picolo recommends
Baker shares a the very best bakeries in Copenhagen not to be missed during a visit to the Danish capital!
Opplevelser
Three o’clock on a Saturday, scarves, pies and pints. A football trip to England is the dream trip for many fans. Here are the cities, the stadiums, ticket advice and the hotels we recommend.
Locations
The series takes place in Montana and is shot in beautiful and wild natural surroundings. Now, you can actually stay at the Dutton's place.
Experiences
Petter Stordalen prefers to see a new city in running shoes. In spring 2023 he took Picolo along on his morning run in Stockholm. Here is the route, the stops along the way and how to run it yourself.
Picolo recommends
Paulo Airaudo, from Argentina, became the first foreign chef in legendary San Sebastián to receivea Michelin star. Now, he's going for his third...
Region
The French Riviera, knowns as the Côte d'Azur, is a glamorous holiday destination with sandy beaches, busy harbours, and ancient ruins. It's also perfect to experience by train.
Locations
It's actually possible to take a journey into the post-apocalyptic world of the hit TV series The Last of Us, and experience steep mountains and lush national parks.
Opplevelser
A shelf of rock 700 metres above Lake Ringedalsvatnet, and one of Norway’s most famous hikes. Trolltunga is an incredible experience, but also long and demanding. Here is everything about distance, parking, season and preparation, and the hotels closest to the trail.
