The UK flag carrier was criticized for the “quality of its food and drink, the comfort of its seats and value for money for its short-haul and long haul services,” in the annual report by Which? Travel.

More than 6,500 travelers were asked about customer service, boarding and cabin environment as part of the survey.

American Airlines was named the worst long-haul airline, with a score of 48%.

“American Airlines takes customer feedback very seriously, and we were disappointed to see the findings of the Which? survey, based on the experiences of 53 customers,” a spokesman for the airline told CNN.

“However, we recognize there is always room for improvement and we will continue to strive to deliver an excellent service that cares for our customers on life’s journey.”

British Airways received a score of 55% for both short-haul and long-haul flights, coming in third from bottom and second from bottom in the respective league tables.

“Our own data shows customer satisfaction scores have increased, and continue to increase, as we deliver our £6.5 billion ($8.4 billion) investment for customers on new aircraft, new food, new lounges and new technology,” said British Airways in a statement.

Ryanair was the worst rated short-haul airline, scoring just 44%, with Vueling Airlines (54%) and Wizz Air (56%) faring little better.

At the other end of the scale in the short-haul category, Jet2 won plaudits for offering great service at affordable prices.

For long haul Singapore Airlines did best, while Emirates and Virgin Atlantic also scored well.

“Year after year the same culprits continue to sink to new lows, yet for many of us, there is a choice. You don’t have to keep booking with an airline that has let you down — or one that you loved for years but has slipped in quality,” said Rory Boland, Which? Travel editor, in a statement.

(CNN) — Like so many good stories, this one began with a memorable night out.

Rino Dubokovic, a university student in Zagreb, was out enjoying drinks with his friends when they started swapping their funniest hangover stories.

Suddenly, an idea dawned on him: “Some sort of collection where all these objects from drunk stories would be exposed together with their stories.”

Six months later, in the building next to where the boozy night had taken place, there it was: The Museum of Hangovers.

Exhibits include displays of objects people found inexplicably the morning after a boozy night, a room where visitors can test their reflexes after putting on “beer goggles,” and an interactive section where they can share their own best and worst hangover experiences.

The gift shop is also tongue-in-cheek, selling a “drunkopoly” board game and bar activities, like darts.

Dubokovic, who is from the island of Hvar and studying computer science, tells CNN Travel that the point of the museum isn’t to glorify overindulgence. Rather, it’s a physical representation of the kinds of chats he had with his friends, where everyone is sharing stories and bonding about things they did in the past.

“In the future, we want to make people aware of the bad things related to alcohol,” he adds.

The museum, which opened on December 1, is still what Dubokovic calls a “test concept.” As reaction has been positive so far, he hopes that he’ll be able to secure additional funding to turn the Museum of Hangovers into a larger, permanent establishment.

This isn’t the first unorthodox museum to open in Zagreb.

The collection grew to include everything from crumpled receipts to an abandoned wedding dress. It eventually became so successful that a second location opened in Los Angeles six years later.

As for Dubokovic, his own personal Museum of Hangovers would definitely include a menu from a food delivery app.

“I order pizza when I’m hungover because I am too lazy to do anything,” he says.

Good thing he wasn’t hungover when it came time to do the work of creating a museum, then.

But you will know that you have arrived when you’re surrounded with golden-yellow walls on every building on every street.

Nicknamed “La Ciudad Amarilla” (or “The Yellow City”), Izamal is a small town in the state of Yucatan. The name Izamal means “dew that falls from the heavens.”

The reason for the sunny color remains unclear.

“When I first started guiding, I had been told that it was painted yellow in honor of the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1993,” said Julia Miller, a local archaeologist and tour guide. “So, I very faithfully repeated this for years until I said this in front of another tour guide who said, ‘No, it wasn’t! It was already yellow.’ ”

After asking around, Miller concluded that no one really knows why it was originally painted yellow.

Pueblos Mágicos

A steady stream of visitors who are typically going between Mérida and Chichén Itzá visit the town. It rarely seems too crowded or touristy, and the locals are very present doing the typical things of their daily lives.

Izamal was founded nearly 2,000 years ago by the Maya. It is believed that the town is named after the ancient Mayan god Itzamná.

“The Spanish city was founded in the 1550s and because it was an important pilgrimage place for the Maya, the Catholics decided that it would be a good place to put one of their first churches on the Yucatan Peninsula,” said Miller.

The Catholic church is called the Monastery of St. Anthony of Padua, built in 1561 on top of the existing ancient Mayan worship center. It was originally a place used to convert the Maya people to Catholicism.

Today this church is still active and is one of the oldest Catholic churches in the Americas.

While the church is the biggest draw, Izamal is also known as a town with three cultures because it holds the history of the ancient Maya people, along with Spanish colonial history and today’s modern population.

Mayan ruins

Izamal is also home to Mayan ruins.

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Just a few blocks from the church is Kinich Kak Moo, the largest Mayan ruin remaining in Izamal.

Named after the Mayan sun god, the 35-meter (115-foot) pyramid has 10 levels. Adventurers can climb the pyramid’s uneven and steep steps for the reward of 360-degree views of Izamal, the surrounding jungle and the vast Yucatan beyond.

And because the town isn’t overrun with tourists, odds are good for experiencing the pyramid in solitude.

There are four other ruins in Izamal that are all free and easy to explore on foot.

The town’s signature sites can be visited within a few hours, but renting a private hacienda is a great option for more leisurely overnight stays.

(CNN) — The past, it has been said, is a foreign country. And sometimes it’s another country we yearn to visit.

Or maybe it’s not.

Joining the ranks of movie inventors like Doc Brown of “Back to the Future” are a few real-life scientists currently trying to realize the dream of turning back the clock to travel to the ultimate destination.

Among them is Ron Mallett, an astrophysicist who has dedicated much of his adult life to the notion that time travel is possible. He’s come up with the scientific equations and principles upon which he says a time machine could be created.

While acknowledging that his theories and designs are unlikely to allow time travel in his lifetime, for years he’s been working in parallel to a respected academic career to fulfill his dream of venturing back in time to see his beloved father again.

Mallett was aged 10 when his father died suddenly, of a heart attack, an event that the scientist says changed the track of his life forever.

“For me, the sun rose and set on him, he was just the center of things,” he tells CNN Travel. “Even today, after all of these years, there’s still an unreality about it for me.”

Mallett’s father, a TV repair man, instilled in his son a love of reading, and encouraged his budding passion for science. About a year after his father’s death, a grieving Mallett stumbled across an illustrated version of the classic sci-fi novel “The Time Machine.”

“The book that changed my life,” he says.

Thanks to the imagination of author H.G. Wells, suddenly Mallett felt his family tragedy presented not an end — but a beginning.

Sixty years later, 74-year-old Mallett is a professor of physics at the University of Connecticut. He’s spent his career investigating black holes and general relativity — the theories of space, time and gravity famously explored by Albert Einstein.

Mallett has also been theorizing about time travel, in the course of which he has embarked on his own personal journey: a complex and often contentious quest to build a machine capable of visiting the past.

He’s still a long way from his destination — some would argue he’ll never get there — but his voyage makes for a poignant story that dwells on the power of love, the potency of childhood dreams and the human desire to control destiny in an unknowable universe.

How to become a time traveler

Mallett first encountered the concept of time travel back in the 1950s.

“We hadn’t even gone into space,” he recalls. “And people weren’t even sure if we could.”

Growing up in New York City’s Bronx neighborhood, and later in Pennsylvania, Mallett’s family struggled for money.

As a self-described “bookaholic” he still found ways to get hold of reading material, finding comfort, after his father’s death, among the the shelves of the local Salvation Army bookstore.

It was here that Mallett encountered the writings of Einstein, his next key inspiration.

He continued poring over science books throughout his teenage years and, after leaving high school, aimed for college via the G.I. Bill which supports US military veterans in their post-service education.

He enlisted in the US Air Force, where he served for four years, including deployment to Vietnam.

Eventually, Mallett made it to academia. He gained a bachelor’s degree in physics, followed by a master’s and a doctorate, specializing in Einstein’s theory.

His first job was working on lasers at United Technologies, an aircraft manufacturer, looking into how they could be used to bore holes in the turbine blades of jet engines.

After a couple of years of applying mathematical theories in this practical setting, Mallet joined the University of Connecticut (UCONN) as an assistant professor of physics.

Through all of this, from Vietnam to back again, Mallett was quietly considering the possibility of time travel.

But he only began speaking publicly about his ambitions once UCONN made him a tenured professor, an open-ended academic position that grants holders the freedom to work largely free from fear of dismissal.

“I wanted to make sure that I got to that pinnacle of professionalism,” he says, “Even then I was a bit reluctant.”

He was aware of the “mad professor” stereotype. He wanted to ensure his ambitions weren’t ridiculed and his job threatened.

But when Mallett began speaking openly about his ideas, he found they struck a chord with many others, something he says shows the universality of the desire to revisit the past. We all have, he says, regrets, or past decisions we wonder about, or people we’ve lost who we long to see again.

“People started contacting me, literally from all over the world about the possibility of going back in time,” he says.

The science behind it all

Mallett with his key equation, which he says proves time travel is possible.

Ron Mallett

Today, photos of Mallett at work show him surrounded by equipment in a cluttered laboratory, demonstrating his principles at work via small-scale experiments — or standing, beaming, in front of chalk boards where he’s etched out his formulas.

The personal aspect of Mallett’s work is profoundly moving, but how plausible is the science behind his ideas?

It all hinges, says Mallett, on Einstein’s special theory of relativity and general theory of relativity.

“To put it in a nutshell, Einstein said that time can be affected by speed,” says Mallett.

Mallett gives the example of astronauts traversing space in a rocket that’s traveling close to the speed of light. Time would pass differently on Earth than it would for the people in the rocket.

“They could actually come back finding out that they’re only a few years older, but decades have passed here on Earth,” he says.

Mallett points to the 1968 sci-fi classic movie “Planet of the Apes,” at the end of which [spoiler alert] an astronaut realizes that he hasn’t traveled to a distant, ape-ruled planet, but merely returned to Earth in a post-apocalyptic future in which mankind has been subjugated by simians.

“That is an accurate representation of Einstein’s special theory of relativity,” says Mallet. “So the upshot is that, according to the special theory of relativity, if you’re traveling fast enough, you respectively are traveling through time. And effectively, that would be a representation of time travel.”

However, this is all about going forward not backward, so how would this help Mallett’s quest to be reunited with his father?

Einstein’s general theory of relativity is based in the concept of gravity — and considers how time is affected by gravity.

“What Einstein meant by that is the stronger gravity is, the more time will slow down,” says Mallett.

Einstein’s general theory of relativity says that what we call the force of gravity isn’t a force at all, it’s actually the bending of space by a massive object.

“If you can bend space, there’s a possibility of you twisting space,” says Mallett.

“In Einstein’s theory, what we call space also involves time — that’s why it’s called space time, whatever it is you do to space also happens to time.”

Mallett posits that by twisting time into a loop, one could travel from the future back to the past — and then back to the future. And this is the idea of a wormhole, a sort of tunnel with two openings.

Mallett suggests that light could also be used to affect time via something called a ring laser.

In “Back to the Future,” inventor Doc Brown succeeds in building a time travel machine.

Universal Studios

He’s created a prototype illustrating how lasers could be used to create a circulating beam of light that twists space and time — inspired by his first job experimenting with lasers’ effect on airplane jet engines.

“It turned out my understanding about lasers eventually helped me in my breakthrough with understanding how I might be able to find a whole new way for the basis of a time machine,” says Mallett.

“By studying the type of gravitational field that was produced by a ring laser, this could lead to a new way of looking at the possibility of a time machine based on a circulating beam of light.”

Mallett’s also got a theoretical equation that, he argues, proves this would work.

“Eventually a circulating beam of laser lights could act as a sort of a time machine and cause a twisting of time that would allow you to go back into the past,” he says.

There’s a snag though — a pretty big one.

“You can send information back, but you can only send it back to the point at which you turn the machine on,” says Mallett.

While his quest to go back to the 1950s isn’t anywhere closer to a reality, he remains optimistic, and continues to ponder possibilities.

Realities of time travel

Sci-fi movie “Interstellar” is a favorite of Mallett’s.

So could there be a not-too-distant future in which time travel is part of our daily reality? After all, we’re entering a new decade in which once fanciful concepts like space tourism and hyperloop trains are entering the realms of possibility.

Maybe, but not everyone thinks so.

“But every time we try to concoct a theoretical time travel device, some other bit of physics busts in and breaks up the party.”

Sutter says he is aware of Mallett’s work, and thinks it’s interesting, if not necessarily on track to deliver results.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily going to be fruitful, because I do think that there are deep flaws in his mathematics and his theory, and so a practical device seems unattainable.”

“While not everyone agrees that his planned device would work, I think it’s an interesting enough proposition to go for an experimental trial,” says Clegg.

“If it did work, it should be stressed that it’s not a practical time machine, it would simply produce a tiny but measurable effect, which would demonstrate the principle.”

Mallett is quick to clarify that his ideas are theoretical.

He says he’s currently trying to get funds to conduct real-life experiments.

“It’s not like the movies,” says Mallett. “It’s not going happen at the end of two hours, at the cost of whatever it is you pay for the movie ticket. It’s going to cost.”

Movie comparisons are a common theme of conversation with Mallett. He relishes explaining concepts about time travel through cinematic examples.

When asked about the ethical implications of going back to the past, he suggests there’d be a need for international regulation and policing, and namechecks 1994 movie “Timecop,” in which Jean-Claude Van Damme plays an officer working for an agency regulating time travel.

Another favorite, says Mallett, is the 2014 Christopher Nolan movie “Interstellar,” which deals in ideas of how time impacts people in space differently than people on Earth.

That movie’s scientific credentials were boosted by the involvement of Nobel prize-winning theoretical physicist Kip Thorne.

But Mallet also appreciates the emotional core of the movie — the father-daughter story that drives the plot: “It’s beautiful,” he says.

Movie magic

Mallett’s father, pictured here, was a TV repairman.

Courtesy Ronald Mallett

Hollywood has come calling for Mallett a few times. A proposed adaptation of “The Time Traveler,” an autobiography he co-authored in 2008, fell through despite the involvement of celebrated director Spike Lee.

Mallett says a major production company has now bought the rights to his story and there’s another cinematic project in the works.

Even after a lifetime spent investigating time travel, Mallet may never physically go back to 1950s New York.

But, thanks to the magic of cinema, he may yet get a glimpse of the past, that “foreign country”, and, in a way, meet his father one last time.

“The idea I will actually be able to see my father on the big screen, it will almost be like bringing him back to life for me,” says Mallett, poignantly.

Humans are responsible, scientist says

In 2017, a study released by USGS and Portland State University said that in the past half century, some of the ice formations in Montana had lost 85% of their size and the average shrinkage was 39%.

“In several decades they will be mostly gone. They will grow so small that they will disappear. They will certainly be gone before the end of the century,” Dan Fagre, the study’s lead scientist, had said.

And humans are responsible, Fagre said after the study’s release.

“There are variations in the climate but it is humans that have made all those variations warmer,” he said. “The glaciers have been here for 7,000 years and will be gone in decades. This is not part of the natural cycle.”

The melting of these structures is “all atmospherically driven,” he added.

But the park isn’t a unique case — glaciers are shrinking across the globe, experts say.

And in June 2019, a new study revealed climate change was shrinking Himalayan glaciers twice as fast as last century.

(CNN) — Whether you want to relax on a remote island off the coast of Africa, ride Germany’s coolest trains or spot howling monkeys in South America, there is much to explore heading into a new decade in 2020.

Japan will be hosting the Summer Olympics, Jamaica will be marking the late Bob Marley’s 75th birthday, and Washington will be on pins and needles for much of the year preparing for the US presidential election.

We don’t know whether Chile’s long-planned celebration around the December solar eclipse could be overtaken by continued protests in the streets or whether Galway, Ireland, will be hurt by the ongoing Brexit debate in the UK.

Here they are, CNN Travel’s 20 places to visit in 2020, in alphabetical order:

Chile Lake District

While Chile has been in the headlines because of civil unrest, a visit to “Los Lagos” away from the urban centers offers travelers astonishing landscapes and serenity. This region is set to be even more impressive in December 2020, thanks to a total solar eclipse.

On December 14, totality will occur over the town of Pucón at 1:03 p.m. local time and will last just over two minutes.

Cosmic phenomena not withstanding, this region of southern Chile is worth more than a two-minute visit, thanks to the national parks, volcanoes and outdoor adventuring.

Don’t Miss: The seafood. On the island of Chiloe, try curanto — a stew-style dish featuring seafood, meat, potatoes and Chilean rhubarb. — Francesca Street

Copenhagen, Denmark

Colorful houses along canals help make Copenhagen a happy place for its residents as well as its visitors.

Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

Copenhagen was given another happiness boost earlier this year when Kongens Nytorv, its much-loved square, finally reopened after a seven-year closure because of the construction of a new metro line.

A stroll down Strøget, one of Europe’s longest pedestrian streets, is highly recommended, as is a visit to one of Copenhagen’s many top restaurants.

The Dead Sea

Float your worries away. The Dead Sea is the perfect spot to relax during a tour of the Middle East.

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On the border of Israel and Jordan, the Dead Sea can feel like an extremely salty oasis, where talk of ongoing political conflict is less common than the sight of travelers from around the world covering themselves in black mud and falling backward into the water.

The feeling of engaging in a trust fall with the watery landscape — simply close your eyes, drop, and feel yourself pushed upward by the water — may be why so many people from so many eras have found holiness here.

Beyond the act of wading into a body of water with nearly eight times the salinity of the ocean, the Dead Sea’s key location makes it a perfect stop on a Middle Eastern road trip.

Dominica

This lush Eastern Caribbean island has bounced back from extensive damage from Hurricane Maria.

Peter Schickert/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

With lush, primordial rainforests, foliage-engulfed peaks and deep ravines crisscrossed by 365 rivers, the Eastern Caribbean island of Dominica more than lives up to its “Nature Island” moniker.

The 290-square-mile island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017, but Dominica has bounced back with a commitment to sustainable, climate-resilient construction and a renewed focus on ecotourism offerings.

Dominica is in the midst of an impressive luxury hotel boom, thanks in large part to its longstanding Citizenship by Investment program. Investing $100,000 and up in a high-end resort is one path to citizenship under the program.

Luxury lodging is a bonus, but the real draw in Dominica is the rugged outdoors.

Estonia

Don’t be surprised if you hear more about Northern European country’s bustling food scene in the new year.

Courtesy of Visit Estonia

While Estonia may not yet be synonymous worldwide with haute cuisine, this Nordic-like country in Northern Europe can hold its own.

Add a smattering of spas, a bevy of castles and ancient, silent forests, and it’s not hard to see why Estonia is on the rise.

Galway, Ireland

A European Capital of Culture for 2020, Galway is a rural land where artists are drawn by the sublime beauty of the rocky landscape.

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As with the United States, Ireland’s west coast has historically attracted pioneers and mavericks. Battered by Atlantic winds, the weather is fiercer here than in the cultivated east. This is a rural land where people live by their own rules, and artists are drawn by the sublime beauty of the rocky landscape. The capital of County Galway, Galway City, is an artsy enclave where bonhomie and erudition are prized.

Festivals bloom freely in Galway, with cultural gatherings spread across its calendar like wild heather. Visit any season, and you’ll happen across celebrations of food, music, history, art, literature and nature, plus everything from burlesque to banjos, and ponies to Pride.

Jamaica

Ian Fleming’s superspy James Bond appears in his 25th feature film, “No Time To Die,” in which Daniel Craig’s 007 returns to his creator’s real-life beach house, Goldeneye.

Island Outpost

James Bond, Bob Marley, turquoise waters and dazzling waterfalls — Jamaica has a lot to offer, particularly in 2020.

Fleming wrote 14 James Bond novels at Goldeneye, working there every winter from 1952 until his death in 1964. Guests can stay in the famed author’s five-bedroom beachfront home on the northern coast of the island and avail themselves of Fleming’s writing desk.

Jamaica’s favorite son, though, is the iconic reggae musician, Bob Marley, who would have turned 75 on February 6. Marley’s Jamaica is a living, beating heart, overflowing with love, pain, history and cultural significance.

Through its charitable foundation, Rockhouse has invested $5 million in childhood education programs, including revitalizing six schools, most recently opening the island’s first school that serves students with special needs in an inclusive environment, Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Infant Academy (SIIA).

Guests at Rockhouse and its sister property, Skylark, are invited to tour the school and meet the educators, administrators and the extraordinary children of SIIA, an opportunity that is not to be missed. — Brekke Fletcher

Kyrgyzstan

Remote Kyrgyzstan offers up desert-like canyons to rival the American West.

Barry Neild/CNN

Tucked away between China to the east, Kazakhstan to the north and Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan is easy to overlook, but it’s a perfectly formed jewel of a country.

Head east from the capital of Bishkek to where rugged mountains descend into the sparkling snow-melt waters of the vast Lake Issyk-Kul, and Kyrgyzstan reveals itself as a beguiling wonderland that few international visitors have discovered.

In the space of a few miles, the landscape offers up desert-like canyons to rival the American West and lush, high-altitude meadows to rival the European Alps. In winter, there’s skiing around the town of Karakol. In summer, trekking and horseback riding into the Tien Shan mountains. All-year-round, there are jaw-dropping geological marvels around every corner.

Years of hardship after the collapse of the Soviet Union have taken their toll on Kyrgyzstan, and it’s still finding its feet as a tourist destination. But where it lacks infrastructure to deal with lots of visitors, it excels in delivering genuine unexplored frontiers to adventurous travelers willing to rough it a little. It’s safe, extremely welcoming and very good value for the money.

Kyushu, Japan

The third largest of Japan’s five main islands, subtropical Kyushu offers stunning scenery, top eats and plenty of cultural attractions.

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Although the main focus will be on Tokyo, take some time to explore subtropical Kyushu, which offers more than 36,000 square kilometers (about 13,900 square miles) of stunning scenery, top eats and plenty of cultural attractions.

Though this harbor city is synonymous with tragedy, it’s also filled with attractions that highlight its trade history with Europe and China, not to mention a fantastic dining scene buoyed by its coastal setting. — Karla Cripps

New Caledonia

This remote French overseas territory is home to streaky pink sunsets and stretches of white sand beach.

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The group of four archipelagos — which, by the way, opted to remain a French overseas territory for the time being — is about halfway between Fiji and the coast of Queensland, Australia, south of the Solomon Islands.

It’s like visiting a nearly empty South of France in the summertime, eating gorgeous, buttery pastries after an afternoon of sunning yourself without being surrounded by crowds.

Nearly all travelers begin in the capital of Noumea and work out from there. Noumea’s striking lagoon-front location blends French colonial heritage buildings with the colors of the sea and sky.

With only about 100,000 residents, it’s easy to live the simple life there — you can stay in an urban B&B, then pass an afternoon snorkeling, swimming or kitesurfing before enjoying a fresh meal of fish, paired with white Burgundies imported from 17,000 miles away.

Don’t miss: The three Loyalty Islands — Lifou, Mare and Ouvea — are an ideal place for learning about the indigenous Kanak people, who far predate French colonization of the region. Visit these tribes and learn about their customs, festivals and way of life. — Lilit Marcus

Paraty and Ilha Grande, Brazil

São Tomé and Príncipe

The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is home to rich jungle and volcanic peaks, including Pico Cao Grande on Sao Tome island.

Ruth McDowall/AFP/Getty Images

The little two-island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, in west Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, is an equatorial biodiversity hot spot.

Sometimes called the “African Galapagos,” the islands’ rich jungle and volcanic peaks are teeming with endemic plants, including hundreds of species of orchids and extraordinary, 10-foot-tall begonias. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot, too, including the world’s smallest ibis and the world’s largest sunbird, as well as the marine turtles who make their nest here.

Those low visitor numbers can partly be attributed to it being a little hard to get reach, but the effort is worth it. There are direct flights to São Tomé, the larger of the two islands, from Lisbon, Cape Verde, Angola, Bioko island and Gabon. Principe is another 87 miles (140 kilometers) away and can be reached by small plane. Together, the islands cover just 386 square miles and the population is less than 200,000, making this the smallest African sovereign state after the Seychelles.

The islands were unpopulated until the Portuguese established it as a colonial outpost in the 15th century, and the Portuguese legacy is still felt in the country’s music, culture and customs. Many of today’s population are descended from the enslaved Africans brought to work at the islands’ plantations. The nation celebrated 40 years of independence in 2015, and coffee and cocoa are still key industries here.

Don’t miss: Lagoa Azul (Blue Lagoon) is a snorkeling and diving spot on northern São Tomé, prized for its azure waters. — Maureen O’Hare

St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia’s former imperial capital, St. Petersburg is most popular during the so-called “White Nights” of midsummer.

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Until now, most travelers wanting to head to Russia have needed a certain amount of persistence to wade through the visa red tape. No longer.

Since July 2019, some 53 nationalities — including all European Union citizens — can now get e-visa access to the northern city of St. Petersburg and surrounding area for up to 30 days.

Today, the city is most popular during the warmer months, especially the so-called “White Nights” of midsummer. Thanks to its northerly latitudes, the city barely sees any darkness during the summer season, and the streets are teeming with visitors around the clock.

But St. Petersburg is arguably at its most romantic in the fridge-freezer months of midwinter as ice clogs the Neva River and atmospheric fog wafts across the city.

Despite the subzero temperatures, it’s a great time to be outside. There’s skating in parks, and even cross-country skiing. In the heart of the city, snow and ice transform historic buildings, bridges and canals into spectacular scenes that evoke classic Russian literature.

Sri Lanka

The ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which was Sri Lanka’s capital in the 12th century is a UNESCO Heritage site.

Jorge Fernández/LightRocket/Getty Images

Sitting in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern tip of India, travelers may default to thinking of Sri Lanka as a beach getaway. But to truly immerse yourself in the country’s history, go inland and tour the country’s cultural triangle.

Tunisia

The ancient city of Dougga, Tunisia, is considered the best preserved Roman town in North Africa.

Natalia Seliverstova/Sputnik/AP

In 2018, the restriction was lifted and Europeans have been quick to return. Currently, the US government advises against travel to the Libyan border in the southeast of the country and certain mountainous areas to the west.

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Vancouver Island is home to pristine beaches and forests, small, artsy towns and a cosmopolitan capital city.

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The big, beautiful cities and national parks of Canada’s eastern provinces are attractive options in every sense. But you’re unlikely to find a treasure chest as bountiful as British Columbia’s Vancouver Island on the west coast — a 290-mile stretch of pristine forest and beaches punctuated by small, artsy towns and a cosmopolitan capital city.

You could easily occupy an adventure-packed month there backpacking, camping and eating well. More manageable is an itinerary between two towns — the southern coastal paradise of Tofino and the capital, Victoria — with a five-hour, bear-sighting, picturesque drive in between.

Or orient your Vancouver Island visit by activity or theme: romantic getaway, rugged outdoor adventure, First Nation art and culture, foodie pilgrimage, nature nirvana, surf safari or a combination.

Washington, D.C.

The Wharf riverfront development project is attracting dining, hotels and visitors.

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All eyes will turn to Washington in 2020, but world travelers would be well-served to look beyond what’s bound to be a hard-fought presidential election.

The city is rallying around sports like never before, on the heels of the underdog Washington Nationals’ first World Series baseball title as well as the Mystics’ first WNBA women’s basketball title and the Capitals’ 2018 hockey championship.

Wuppertal, Germany

The Schwebebahn railway in Wuppertal is one of the world’s coolest rail systems.

Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images

An industrial city in western Germany may not sound like anyone’s idea of a dream vacation, but Wuppertal has an extraordinary ace up its sleeve — one of the world’s coolest rail systems.

It’s a steampunk vision of a mass transit system whose iron legs straddle the city’s streets and waterways, whisking passengers high over traffic snarl-ups to stations just as sci-fi as the train that connects them.

It costs just a few dollars to ride the Schwebebahn, alongside the thousands of commuters that use it daily.

In the unlikely event that the charm of the hanging train wears off, Wuppertal — one of the greenest cities in Germany — is worth exploring.

It’s an architectural adventure playground, having proudly channeled some of its mercantile wealth into classic bricks-and-mortar examples of Art Deco, Bauhaus and numerous other styles.

Don’t miss: Try traveling on two wheels, particularly along the Nordbahntrasse — another railway, this one earthbound, that has been converted into a leafy and picturesque 22-kilometer (14-mile) cycle route across the city. — Barry Neild

Wyoming

Jenny Lake at Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, is filled with glacier water.

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Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole and women’s suffrage: These are just a few of the reasons that Wyoming, the least-populated state in the United States, should top your list for 2020.

In December 1869, Wyoming wasn’t even a state when it became the first US state or territory to enact a law guaranteeing women not only the right to vote but also the right to hold office — 50 years before the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution.

In addition to its commitment to equality, Wyoming is one of the last bastions of the American West, with the rugged, natural beauty that attracts lovers of the great outdoors, history buffs and would-be cowboys.

Zambia

Victoria Falls offers thundering cascades, white water rafting, zip line facilities and bungee jumping.

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Take South Luangwa National Park, brimming with trees, plants and vegetation, which is home to some 60 animal species, including leopards, elephants and buffalo. Farther west, Kafue National Park, the country’s largest, is a haven for flora and fauna.

The lush landscapes of Lower Zambezi National Park, on the Zimbabwe border, offer visitors awesome panoramas. The world’s longest freshwater lake, Lake Tanganyika, flows partly through Zambia. Its crystal-clear waters host hundreds of species of fish.

Don’t miss: The sunsets — it would be hard to not notice when vibrant hues of coppery orange and golden yellow illuminate the Zambian skies, but every time it happens, it’s pretty breathtaking. — Francesca Street

Video by CNN’s Channon Hodge

(CNN) — There’s no denying that good wine comes with a price, but $40,000 seems rather steep.

However, Hungarian winemakers Royal Tokaji say their limited edition Essencia 2008 decanter is worth every cent.

Only 20 of the unique 1.5 liter magnums, designed by Hungarian-based artist James Carcass, exist, 18 of which were released last year.

It was described as the “world’s most expensive wine” at the time of its launch, and while this statement is difficult to quantify, the Essencia 2008 magnum decanter was certainly the most expensive wine put up for sale in 2019.

Each of the decanters, which come in a lacquered black box with a switch that illuminates the bottle, is specially hand-blown, meaning no two are completely identical.

Approximately 11 have already sold, so it seems likely Royal Tokaji will sell the remaining seven before the wine’s 2300 expiry date.

But what makes this particular vintage so valuable?

‘Miracle of nature’

The sweet wines produced here are reliant on botrytis cinerea mold, known as “noble rot,” that dries out grapes on the vine, shriveling them into what looks like brown raisins.

Only the best aszú grapes are used for Essencia, which is made entirely from the juice of aszú berries (the other wines produced in the region have a base wine added to dilute their sweetness).

Visitors can arrange private tours of the winery, located around a two and a half hour drive from Budapest, in order to taste it.

“Essencia in itself is a miracle of nature,” says Orsi Szentkiralyi, a London-based Hungarian wine professional. “It’s very labor intensive and takes many years of careful work in the cellar.

“It only reaches a couple of degrees of alcohol but has lots and lots of natural sweetness. It’s so rich it’s normally served on a spoon instead of a glass.”

Essencia can only be produced in years with more or less perfect weather conditions for botrytis. And 2008 marked a particularly impressive year.

It takes about a kilogram of “incredibly ripe” aszú grapes to produce just a teaspoon, while around 20 kilograms of grapes shriveled to aszú berries are required for a 37.5 centiliter bottle of wine, which usually contains around 3% alcohol.

Although a lot of work is involved in gathering the grapes, the fermenting process is relatively simple, as “you just bottle it and leave it.”

“It’s always the winemaker’s decision when we bottle an Essencia,” explains Zoltan Kovacs, general manager at the Royal Tokaji Winery, located in the Tokaj district of Mád.

“It could be after three, or four years, or even 10. This [2008] Essencia was bottled after eight years of maturation. It’s a slightly unusual Essencia because it has a higher alcohol volume — around 4%.”

Valuable vintage

This results in a distinct and hugely intense flavor, with hints of honey, apricot and tea, that’s almost unbearably sweet. The liquid is so thick and syrupy, it’s often served by the spoon. It’s so mouth filling, it’s hard to imagine having more than a few sips without feeling a little light-headed.

Although Essencia 2008 has been on sale before, it’s the exclusivity of this particular set that makes the decanters far more valuable than a standard bottle.

Royal Tokaji had to obtain a special permit from the Hungarian government to bottle Essencia in 1.5 liter containers — present laws only allow a maximum capacity of 0.5 liters.

“It really is one of a kind,” says Charlie Mount, managing director of Royal Tokaji. “I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to repeat it.”

The design of the unusual decanter was apparently inspired by the wine “slowly dripping from the individually picked aszu berries.”

Once completed, the decanters were shipped to Portugal, where they were scanned and fitted with custom fitted corks, before being returned to Royal Tokaji, filled by hand and sealed.

According to the team at Royal Tokaji, which was founded by British wine historian Hugh Johnson in 1990, one of the biggest successes of the venture is the fact that it’s got the world talking about Hungarian wine again.

“This project is a symbol of one of Hungary’s greatest exports,” says Mount. “Hungarians are very proud of the diversity of the wine produced in the country.

“They make a great range of wine. But I think from an outsider’s perspective, Tokaji wine has this mystique. It’s even mentioned in the Hungarian national anthem.”

Szentkiralyi shares this sentiment, stressing that the country still has a lot of unexplored potential with regards to its wine industry.

“The long winemaking traditions, the beneficial climate and the diversity of wine styles make it a great wine producing country, but the majority of production is still consumed locally,” she says.

While the collection may have put Tokaji, and effectively Hungarian wine, firmly back in the spotlight, its appeal, particularly that of Essencia, goes back centuries.

Rich heritage

France’s Louis XIV famously referred to Tokaji wine as “the wine of Kings and King of wines.”

Tamara Hardingham-Gill

“Even at the beginning of the 20th century, Tokaji was the most expensive wine in the world,” says Mount.

“Doctors used to prescribe it to their patients. If you were lucky enough to be able to afford it, you would be prescribed a teaspoon of Essencia in the morning and a teaspoon at night.”

“Pope Pius X kept it in his bedchamber and survived far longer than anyone expected because he was drinking Essencia.”

Perhaps the most famous reference is in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” in which the character Jonathan Harker is served a bottle of Tokaji on his first night at Count Dracula’s castle.

“The famous sweet wines of Tokaj have been enjoyed by the wealthy around the world for centuries,” says Szentkiralyi.

“Essencia is a very unique product that may have been the privilege of royalty, but everyone can seek out and enjoy a glass of Hungarian wine to see the quality for themselves.”

However, those willing and able to spend $40,000 for the privilege of owning this particular bottle will no doubt be few and far between.

Upscale London department store Fortnum & Mason recently purchased one of the decanters, while a collector in Beijing was the first individual buyer to snap one up.

“Of course, it’s expensive,” admits Mount. “But true wine collectors will spend multiples of that [$40,000] each year on building a perfect cellar.”

Although all rare vintages increase in value over time, Essencia offers a particularly appealing expiry date (2300) due to its high sugar level and acidity.

This effectively means the decanters will almost certainly be worth a lot more in years to come.

So once a wine collector has added one to their cellar, how likely are they to actually drink it?

According to Mount, the first bottle to sell was opened at a Chinese New Year party not long after the client received it.

“It pains me when something just sits on display,” he says. “Wine is made to be drunk. But equally, you’d want to save this one for a special occasion.”

Essencia 2008 is available by the spoon at various restaurants and hotels in the United States and Italy.

The region of Molise, a wild, beautiful but overlooked area that lies east of Rome, has announced it will pay people more than $27,000 to settle in one of 106 underpopulated villages in an effort to prevent their communities from dying.

Anyone who takes up the offer will receive 700 euros a month (about $770) for up to three years to help them settle in an area known for its green pastures, olive groves and snowy mountaintops.

There’s a catch — they’ll also have to commit to starting a small business, in order to contribute to the local economy.

Young people and couples with children are particularly encouraged to apply to the scheme, which is to be officially launched on September 16.

Tedeschi, who was born in the small Molise village of Filignano — home to barely 700 residents — says he knows what it means to see old traditions and historical places fall into oblivion and wants to stop the decline in its tracks.

Depopulation crisis

“The goal is to breathe new life and revamp the local economy,” he says. “Newcomers are free to kick-start anything they please in order to get our financial support: a small inn, restaurant, bar, B&B, a tiny rural farm, artisan boutique, library or shop selling local gourmet excellences.”

Thousands of people have left Molise in recent years. Official statistics say the number of people living there has fallen by almost 9,000 since 2014, pushing the region’s population to just 305,000.

Now one of Italy’s most depopulated regions, 106 of its 136 towns have fewer than 2,000 residents.

Many communities across Italy are at risk of being lost as younger people migrate to bigger towns and cities — or abroad — in search of work as Italy’s fragile economy struggles to support its more remote, rural areas.

Recently, there’s been a spate of villages from the northern Alps to the southern vineyards of Sicily, virtually giving away homes to anyone willing to spend the money on renovating them to move in.

Molise’s offer has the potential to be the most lucrative yet for anyone willing to take the plunge.

So what exactly can applicants expect if they take the plunge? Here’s a look at some of the most picturesque villages among those inviting people to move in.

Fornelli

The town of Fornelli is among those hoping to attract new residents.

Courtesy Region Molise

Fornelli is known as the City of Oil because of the olive groves dotting a landscape that also harbors premium truffles and species of endangered legumes.

Nominated for the 2019’s Italy’s Most Beautiful Town contest, it has a medieval center that was once protected by a drawbridge and is now a web of narrow alleys and arched entrances.

Seven towers are incorporated in the town’s defensive walls, within which cars and even motorcycles are banned, making it peaceful and unpolluted.

Pesche

Pesche’s islolation has preserved it over the centuries.

Courtesy Region Molise

Clinging to the rocky cliff side of Mount San Marco, this village takes its name from the Italian word pietre, meaning “rocks.”

The white-yellowish stone dwellings at the feet of a majestic castle contrast with the green-brownish stones covered in lush vegetation that cover the landscape.

Isolation has preserved the village from centuries of Barbarian raids and the doorways of homes and aristocratic buildings are adorned with weird stone images.

Riccia

Riccia hosts an annual grape festival.

Courtesy Region Molise

One of the high spots of the year in Riccia is a picturesque grape festival that celebrates the end of the vendemmia or harvest and attracts wine lovers from across Italy.

The event sees floats decorated with grapes parade through the cobbled streets as actors hand out gourmet treats.

Riccia, clustered at the feet of a cylindrical tower, is part of an élite club uniting Italy’s “authentic villages” where traditions and ancient recipes survive.

Molise’s premium amaro liqueur is made with special herbs found in the nearby woods.

Capracotta and Campitello Matese

Campitello offers winter sports like snowboarding and skiing.

Courtesy Region Molise

These villages are for ski lovers.

One of the attractions of Molise, Italy’s second smallest region, is that it has everything in one place: sea, lakes, forests and even the Apennine mountain range.

Capracotta and Campitello Matese are the region’s top winter sports resorts, pulling in snowboarders and cross-country amateurs.

Skiing pistes aren’t as long nor as steep as those found in the Alps, but there’s the added attraction of thick woodlands where wild animals still live, including bears.

Pietrabbondante and Sepino

Pietrabbondante has ruins to rival Rome.

Courtesy Region Molise

It’s hard to believe, but Molise rivals Rome or Pompeii for ancient architecture and archeological attractions.

The two small villages of Pietrabbondante and Sepino both contain the secret, largely unknown ruins of once-glorious citadels.

A large chunk of Molise used to lie within the kingdom of the fiery Samnite tribes who refused to bend the knee to Ancient Rome but were eventually slaughtered.

Pietrabbondante’s archeological area, close to the town and set at an altitude of 1,000 meters, has a spellbinding view over Molise’s rugged hills and features a sanctuary and several temples.

Saepinum, or Sepino’s ruins, is incredibly well preserved with statues of imprisoned barbarians greeting visitors at the entrance.

San Giovanni in Galdo

San Giovanni in Galdo hosts ancient festivals.

Antonio Mignogna

Grazing sheep, cows and buffalo dot the bucolic landscape here.

It’s still possible to spot forgotten dusty trails winding up the mountains and the ruins of a majestic Italic temple built in the third century BCE.

San Giovanni in Galdo is located near one of Molise’s main routes used by shepherds to move their livestock between low and high pastures.

The old town, dubbed Morrutto or “broken walls” in local dialect, is a maze of caves and underground chambers.

Old festivals survive such as the performances of the Zig-zaghini folklore group, which enacts something known as the “anti-jinx dance.”

Castel San Vincenzo

Castel San Vincenzo has long offered an escape for pilgrims.

Angelo Tullio

The clear waters of its blue lake makes Castel San Vincenzo one of Molise’s most visited towns by day-trippers.

Set in the Alta Valle del Volturno, it’s known as the Valley of Faith, because monks and pilgrims have, for centuries, come here for meditation and prayer.

Today the nearby stunning abbey of San Vincenzo Al Volturno lures soul-searching travelers craving an unplugged stay and artists in need of inspiration.

Duronia

A huge stone cross stands in the center of Duronia.

Courtesy Region Molise

The village, dating back to pre-Roman times, is a collection of pastel-coloured peasant houses connected by staircases and nestled at the feet of an overhanging fortress.

The town’s symbol is a huge stone cross. Its belvedere piazza offers a unique panorama of surrounding meadows dotted with the ruins of Samnite towers.

Duronia is popular for guided trekking tours along rural routes.

The foodie Scattone festival celebrates an iconic pasta dish made with red wine and pepper that’s said to offer strength and ward off influenza.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of the map on this story misidentified the location of Molise. This has been corrected.

But the Gevora’s reign will be short-lived. The 75-story tower is to be eclipsed by a slender glass skyscraper under construction just a short drive away in Dubai’s Marina district.

The Ciel Tower will reach 360.4 meters upon completion, developer The First Group has confirmed, featuring 1,042 rooms and suites spread across 82 floors.

The design from architects NORR, creators of the Atlantis, the Palm hotel, seeks to maximize the value of such altitude.

A glass observation deck will offer 360-degree views of the city. Visitors can also take in the sights from a rooftop swimming pool and restaurants.

Guests will experience “panoramic views of the coastline and iconic landmarks including the Palm Jumeirah (man-made island),” a spokesperson for The First Group said.

Ciel Tower will also feature a spa, business facilities, and “multiple award-winning restaurants” which will be announced in the coming months, the spokesperson said.

Construction work has been ongoing since 2016 at the building site in Dubai Marina, a major hub of development featuring a cluster of supertall skyscrapers including the 306-meter (1,004 feet) Cayan Tower and 425-meter (1,394 feet) Marina 101 building.

Ciel Tower is scheduled to open in late 2022 or early 2023.

This will add yet another Dubai entrant to the list of the world’s tallest hotels, which already includes the Gevora, the JW Marriot Marquis (355 meters, 1,165 feet), the Rose Rayhaan (333 meters, 1,093 feet), and the Burj al Arab (321 meters, 1,053 feet).

The First Group will seek formal certification for Ciel Tower as the tallest hotel in the world ahead of its opening date.