Congo’s Sapeurs: the African dandies who dressed their way to fame

With brilliant suits, polished shoes and an unshakeable code of conduct, Congo’s Sapeurs turned dressing well into an act of dignity. Then a Guinness advertisement introduced their extraordinary world to millions.

Against the dusty streets of Brazzaville, a man steps out in a canary-yellow suit, scarlet socks and immaculate two-tone shoes. Another twirls a silver-topped cane while displaying the label inside his jacket. Their clothes may be flamboyant, but their expressions are deadly serious.

Dublin: A City That Remembers Everything Except the Time

The Importance of Being in Dublin

A spirited guide to a city where the pubs are literary, the statues talk back and Oscar Wilde still seems to have the last word. From Georgian squares and Gothic cathedrals to Guinness, gossip and glorious contradiction, Dublin proves that the only thing worse than visiting is not visiting at all.

 A guide for the modern traveller with your guide, Mr Oscar Wilde

Dublin is a city in which the past is never dead, merely late for an appointment. It wears history as some men wear a boutonnière conspicuously, charmingly, and with the faint suspicion that it has been borrowed. The Vikings founded it, the English governed it, the Irish reclaimed it and the tourists now photograph it from every possible angle, including several from which it has never looked its best.

Havana’s Costumbristas: The Living Colour of Old Havana

Walk through Old Havana and you’ll soon spot them: women in bright ruffled dresses, towering headwraps, heavy beads and theatrical smiles, often holding an oversized cigar or a basket of flowers. They are commonly known as costumbristas, street performers who dress in traditional or folkloric Cuban-inspired costume and pose for photos with visitors.

Australia's Famous Abandoned Resorts

 From Island Escapes to Casino Ruins

Once promoted as luxury playgrounds, family resorts and high-roller retreats, a string of Australian holiday properties now sit closed, derelict or awaiting redevelopment.

Across Australia, former holiday resorts that once drew families, celebrities and international visitors have been left empty, partially demolished or overtaken by vegetation.

Sofitel Targets Family Travel With Eight Winter Escape Ideas for Australians

As Australian families look for ways to escape the winter chill, Sofitel has highlighted eight family-friendly destinations across Europe, Asia, the Pacific, North America and Australia, showing how luxury hotels are adapting to multigenerational travel.

The collection ranges from no-flight city breaks in Sydney to tropical escapes in Fiji, Bali and Thailand, as well as culture-led stays in Paris, Munich and Montréal. Across participating properties, Sofitel is emphasising practical family features such as interconnecting rooms, family suites, children’s menus, babysitting services, kids’ activities and its Le Petit Prince-inspired family program. At selected hotels, families can also access 50 per cent off a second room for children.

Farina: The Ghost Town That Rises With the Bread

Deep in the Flinders Ranges, about 660 kilometres north of Adelaide, Farina sits where ambition met the hard facts of outback South Australia. For most of the year it is a place of stone walls, empty streets and windblown silence. Then, for eight weeks each winter, someone lights the old underground oven and the ghost town comes briefly, wonderfully, back to life.

Northern Lights in the Northwest Territories: Aurora Borealis by the Numbers

 

Few natural experiences compare with watching the Northern Lights in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Green, purple and blue ribbons sweep across the sky, often seeming close enough to touch. Thanks to its position beneath the Auroral Oval, low light pollution and generally clear skies, the region offers some of the most reliable aurora viewing in the world.