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The safest countries in the world have been updated for 2024. Read our insights from the study and browse the rankings below
Iceland is once again the safest country in the world followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Austria.
However, the world is not as safe as a year ago as the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated for the ninth year in a row. Eighty-four countries recorded an improvement while 79 registered a decline according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI).
Our resident mountaineer and would-be seven summiteer crunches the numbers on how much it will cost to climb the seven summits
How much does it cost to climb the seven summits? About $200,000 USD give or take $10k.
Climbers could significantly reduce costs by foregoing luxuries, cutting corners and taking (even more) risks to get that figure below $100,000, but I do not recommend this and certainly won’t be taking such unnecessary risks.
Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a tent will ensure dry and comfortable nights whatever the weather
If you ask me, time in a tent is time well spent. I’m usually most content when under canvas. With the distractions of modern life left behind, I find that camping has a detoxifying effect. At the end of a day on the trail, I pitch my tent, eat, drink, sleep. In the morning I strike my tent and then repeat. It’s a simple but good life.
Trekking the Highlander Lake District offers a unique journey through the nation’s most picturesque national park
The Lake District is home to England’s most dramatic landscape. In a country known more for its tame countryside and sedate farmland, Cumbria’s exhilarating terrain of craggy peaks, deep gorges and immense lakes reveals a refreshingly wilder side of the nation. As such, nowhere else was ever really in the running to host the inaugural Highlander UK trek, one of the latest additions to the Highlander Adventure collection.
Our Everest base camp trek tips cover everything from permits and teahouses to where to get the best views
I trekked to Everest base camp back in 2019. It was the start of a feverish 24 months of trekking and climbing that took me to the base camps of Earth’s highest and second-highest mountains, across the remote tundra of western Greenland and ultimately to the summit of Aconcagua – the roof of the Americas which, at 6,961m (22,837ft), is the highest peak I’ve ever climbed.
From abandoned sets in the Sahara desert to a troglodyte hotel, here’s our guide on how to visit the Star Wars film locations in Tunisia
With over 1,000km of golden sandy beaches, non-stop sunshine and the glittering Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia has drawn flocks of tourists for decades. Beyond the beach resorts, there are superbly preserved Roman ruins, ancient towns with bustling medinas and, of course, the abandoned film sets of four of the six iconic Star Wars movies.
From picturesque ruins to cliff-face monasteries, we explore the unique appeal of the oldest cities in the world
There’s a certain aesthetic attached to the oldest cities in the world: bustling souks beneath a bright blue sky, flowing garments of whispery white, stone masonry cooked by the sun.
In reality, the oldest cities in the world have faced deep unrest throughout their long histories. Tragically, some are still in conflict. Aleppo in Syria, for example, is likely the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world but suffers ongoing conflict today. Damascus too is off limits.
We take a look at the best things to do in Bergen, the Nordic city that delivers a perfect blend of nature, culture and urban living
Known for its seven fjords, seven hills and old-world fishing wharf, Bergen in Norway enjoys a spectacular setting. Its walkable city centre and access to nature make it a perfect destination for a weekend getaway or even a day visit as the city is a popular stop for Norwegian fjord cruises and can be easily explored in a day.
In her new book, Rachel Hewitt honours the women written out of outdoor history. Here, she explains why it was important to tell their stories
Rachel Hewitt is a critic, broadcaster and the bestselling author of several books including Map of a Nation: A Biography of the Ordnance Survey and A Revolution of Feeling: The Decade that Forged the Modern Mind. She has written for the Guardian, Telegraph, Financial Times, New Statesman and Times Literary Supplement and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Beyond writing, she has appeared in the BBC’s Coast and Timeshift programmes and regularly participates in BBC Radio Three’s Free Thinking.
The Last Tourist exposes the many flaws of tourism, but these three moments struck us especially hard
The role of the modern tourist is on trial in a new documentary. The Last Tourist combines insight from travel and environmental experts with a series of first-hand accounts to highlight the harmful practices that global tourism supports and encourages.
Our guide on how to visit Jerusalem’s Old City covers everything you need to explore the spiritual home of three major religions
Jerusalem’s Old City has been repeatedly besieged, razed and rebuilt over thousands of years and remains one of the world’s most divisive destinations. Sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, and claimed as the capital of both Israel and Palestine, the ancient city is a lightning rod for conflict.
Our guide on how to visit the West Bank in Palestine covers everything you need to explore this storied land
The contentious trace of arid land that makes up the West Bank has been a flashpoint between Israel and Palestine for decades. Packed with holy sites in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the landlocked territory has always been of great symbolic importance.
Our detailed Arctic Circle Trail packing list includes everything you’ll need on a trek through Greenland’s wild and remote backcountry
Fresh from my adventure trekking the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland, I thought it would be useful to share my complete Arctic Circle Trail packing list as a point of reference for future trekkers.
This comprehensive list includes everything I took with me including camping and trekking gear, clothing, food supplies and cooking equipment, toiletries, medication and electronics. Where possible, I’ve included links to the gear I took with me for reference.
From the South Downs to Hadrian’s Wall, we explore England’s most popular hiking trails
Whether you’re an experienced hiker in need of fresh ideas or a first-timer hoping to get outdoors more, our list of England’s most popular hiking trails offers a wealth of options.
Some unusual passport stamps to collect on your travels, from breakaway republics to the northernmost and southernmost post offices
It may be unfashionable but I’m a bit of a box-ticker when it comes to travel. I’m working my way through the seven summits, the highest mountain on every continent (four down, three to go); I have a list of the countries I’ve visited (94 and counting!); and I keep track of memorable places such as the highest, lowest and driest spots I’ve visited.
Our guide on how to visit Copán covers everything you need to explore the enigmatic Maya ruins and charming Honduran town
At first sight, the Maya ruins of Copán in Honduras aren’t quite as grand as Tikal in Guatemala or Chichén Itzá in Mexico – but they are impressive in their own right. Copán is among the most significant Maya sites in Central America and has been called the ‘Paris of the Mayan World’ due to the sophistication of the artefacts found here.
Denmark tops the ranking of the most sustainable countries in the world according to the latest data from the Environmental Performance Index
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) evaluates and ranks 180 countries on 40 performance indicators across 11 categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality.
In her new book, Miriam Lancewood explores the relationship between humans and nature. Here, she tells us about the travel that changed her
Miriam Lancewood has not lived a conventional life. She and her husband, Peter, spent seven years in the wilderness of New Zealand during which time they survived by hunting wild animals and foraging while sleeping in a tent and cooking on an open fire. Since then, Miriam has walked across Europe and written three books about her experiences in nature.
Helsinki has been named Europe’s most walkable capital city based on metrics including air quality, green space and personal safety
Helsinki in Finland is Europe’s most walkable capital city, according to research by British footwear retailer Schuh. The Nordic capital topped the rankings based on several metrics including air quality, cleanliness, street lighting, green space and noise pollution. The study also considered how safe a city is for walking alone by both day and night.
A comprehensive but concise guide on how to start a travel blog, covering both technical and editorial aspects of creating, maintaining and growing a blog
At Atlas & Boots, we are periodically approached for advice on how to start a travel blog. To help future bloggers, we have put our knowledge into a comprehensive but concise guide below.
