Where a Michelin-starred Japanese chef eats, drinks and shops in Tokyo
He grew up in Japan and returns yearly as a visitor.
The fourth-generation sushi chef told CNBC Travel how he spends his time there.
Ginza Sushi Aoki
Akikuni's first recommendation is where he was trained as a chef. The restaurant — which was opened over 50 years ago — is led by a chef who "makes himself available for not only locals, but also people that are visiting from abroad," Akikuni said through a translator.
Noda
For more contemporary flavors, Akikumi recommends visitors try fusion restaurants run by chefs who were trained in different parts of the world. One such restaurant is Noda, which marries Japanese techniques and ingredients with French influence.
"In addition to the cooking, he really loves the wine pairing," his translator told CNBC Travel.
Restaurant reservations are usually made over the phone in Japan, Akikuni said. To avoid language barriers, he recommends that travelers make reservations through their hotel concierge.
Toranomon Yokocho
Akikuni also suggests eating at a Yokocho, an alleyway lined with street vendors and bars.
Toranomon Yokocho, a newer food center in Japan, is a modern take on the Yokocho concept — although it is set up in a "nice development," he said. Food there goes beyond Japanese cuisine, and visitors can "try a little bit of everything all in one place."
Good Music Bar
Akikuni recommends the vinyl music bar with an extensive record collection and live acts from Monday to Saturday. The bar has great cocktails, a high-quality sound system and is big enough for groups of friends, he said.
Kasumicho Arashi
The hidden bar is known for its fruit-based cocktails, Akikuni said. It's tucked in the basement of a house in the residential area of Nishiazabu. The speakeasy incorporates "great farm fresh items" in its menu, he said.
The SG Club
This one is owned by Shingo Gokan, whom Akikuni called "one of the most famous bartenders of this generation." Gokan, who won the 2021 Industry Icon Award from the World's 50 Best organization, also owns a speakeasy, Sip & Guzzle, in New York City.
The bar, which "has been popular for a long time," has three unique floors with different menus and a cigar room, Akikuni said.
Tokyo offers many spots for sightseeing, and Akikuni's favorites are the Meiji Jingu Shrine and the Toyosu Fish Market.
Meiji Jingu Shrine
The shrine — arguably Tokyo's most famous — is a must-see, he said. The shrine was built in 1920 in the busy neighborhood of Shibuya.
"It's a great break from the hustle and bustle of the city," he said.
It's free to enter and lies within a man-made forest. It opens around sunrise and closes around sunset.
Toyosu Market
Akikuni said he visits the Toyosu Fish Market every time he's in Tokyo. At the market — the largest in Japan, at around 4 million square feet — he sees the vendors and suppliers who stock his Miami restaurant, he said.
The early morning tuna auction is a popular attraction there. Visitors can ballot for the chance to view the auction up close, according to Japan National Tourism Organization's website. In January, a 608-pound bluefin tuna was sold for around $1.3 million dollars – the second-highest price paid since the auction began in 1999.
Visitors who do not win the lottery can still watch buyers bid for their choice from farther away, and also buy some fresh fish for breakfast after.
Toyosu Fish Market is known as the "best in the world," but fewer people know about the Toyosu Fruit and Vegetable Market, Akikuni said.
"Japanese people generally are very dedicated to whatever craft that they have," he said. "So if they're a strawberry farmer, they're trying to grow the very best strawberries."
Omotesando and Harajuku
While the neighborhood of Ginza is home to many international brands, Akikuni recommends shopping on Omotesando or in the neighborhood of Harajuku instead.
Both have stores that visitors will "only find in Tokyo," he said.
Omotesando, referred to as the Champs Élysées of Tokyo, is an avenue with iconic Japanese fashion houses like Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake. It's also home to Omotesando Hills, a shopping complex with more than 130 shops.
Harajuku, however, is known for its subculture and quirky fashion. Both areas are walkable and easy to explore, said Akikuni, with vintage shops where visitors can pick up luxury and trendy pieces.
The Imperial Hotel and Aoyama Grand Tokyo
Akikuni prefers two hotels in Tokyo, both of which offer different experiences.
The Imperial Hotel is close to the Royal Palace. It opened in 1890 to welcome foreign visitors, according to the hotel's website.
The traditional concept of Japanese hospitality — or "omotenashi" — is what draws him to the hotel, Akinkuni said. It's like looking "into the past of how the standard of hospitality was created" in the country, he said.
The contemporary Aoyama Grand Tokyo is a good option for shopping in Harajuku or Omotesando. It's close to both neighborhoods and the food is excellent, he said.
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National Geographic
2 hours ago
- National Geographic
The rebellious French island of Corsica has been shaped by time and tradition
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). There's something contrarian about Corsica, the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Seen from above, it resembles a hand with its index finger raised in defiance — the digit in question being the Cap Corse, a rugged peninsula of dark green mountains, bobbing fishing boats and beaches like Plage de Barcaggio, untouched by human development and famed for its herd of sunbathing cows. Corsica's story is one of fierce resistance in the face of repeated attacks and colonisation, and the longer you spend on the island the more the headstrong spirit of the Corsican people reveals itself — and the more its apparent paradoxes seem to unfold. 'Corsica, for most of its history, was an island that was afraid of the sea,' says guide Catherine Lehmann as we navigate the coastal capital, Ajaccio, through honeyed stone streets and squares where old men play pétanque in the shade of plane trees. 'Pirates, invasions and malaria — that's what the coast traditionally meant to Corsicans. In 1769, when Napoleon was born here, Ajaccio was nothing.' Napoleon reflected on the obdurate spirit of his homeland: 'Even today, children are raised like warriors here.' Photograph by Jonathan Stokes We walk from the city's coral-hued Renaissance cathedral up a leafy hillside boulevard to an imperious statue of Corsica's most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte, gazing out over Ajaccio to the sapphire-blue Mediterranean Sea. The statue projects the same image as countless paintings and films have over the past 250 years: a stout man in riding boots and an overcoat, one hand tucked inside his waistcoat, steely eyes staring from beneath a bicorn hat. 'He looked very Corsican. Short, slumped shoulders, but very intense and self-confident,' says Catherine. A Corsican herself, she shares some of his features — she's small but resolute, her olive skin offset by grey-blue eyes, which are surprisingly common on Corsica. In personality, too, Catherine says, Napoleon reflected the obdurate spirit of his homeland. 'Even today, children are raised like warriors here,' she remarks. 'In France, if a kid gets bullied at school, their parents tell them to tell the teacher. Here, we tell them to punch the bully back. Be a Corsican. Not a chicken.' Corsica's strategic position between France and Italy has long made it a target for occupying outsiders, from the Romans, Greeks and Carthaginians of the ancient world to the modern governors — or colonisers, as many Corsicans still see them: the French. So while it's fitting in a way that Corsica's most famous son should be a militaristic outsider like Napoleon, reception to him in Corsica itself is mixed. Not only is he the embodiment of French imperialism, but as ruler of France, he's widely believed to have neglected his Corsican homeland. The view, however, is different in Ajaccio, which he transformed from a coastal backwater into a capital city. 'Here we have a much more positive view of Napoleon than elsewhere in Corsica,' says Catherine as we stroll along the harbour, its swaying palms and gleaming yachts like a vision of the Côte d'Azur. 'And we feel more French.' Into the mountains To discover the Corsican spirit in its most distilled form, I'm heading inland, where medieval hilltop villages rest in blankets of cloud, and hairpin roads wind through mutated outcrops of granite that erupt like popped corn from swathes of cool, thick forest. As I drive, the fragrance of the maquis — the herby shrubland that defines the Corsican interior — floods in through my open window. The aroma of rosemary, sage and the curry-like smell of immortelle, a yellow flower used in some of the world's most expensive fragrances, mingle together in a glorious melange. Corsica is a perfumed isle; a wistful Napoleon, during his final exile on the remote Atlantic island of Saint Helena, is said to have spoken longingly of the scent of his homeland. The aroma of rosemary, sage and the curry-like smell of immortelle mingle together in a glorious melange. Photograph by Jonathan Stokes The serenity is shattered periodically: by death-wish drivers overtaking me on blind corners and, more subtly, by damage to the road signs — in the form of spray paint or bullet holes — erasing the French translations of the Corsican-language place names. The pointed vandalism serves as evidence of abiding discontent with the status quo. Corsica's political climate remains fraught. Although calls for outright independence from France are no longer mainstream, the movement for greater autonomy remains strong and occasionally spills over into violent protest, most recently in 2022. An hour-and-a-half's drive from Ajaccio, the town of Corte reveals itself: a picture-book huddle of medieval houses set on a hilltop citadel that rises imposingly above the maquis. Corte was the capital of the short-lived Corsican Republic — declared an independent state in 1755 by Pasquale Paoli, who sought to liberate Corsica from its ruler at the time, the Republic of Genoa. The Corsican Republic fell when the island was taken over by France in 1769 — the year of Napoleon's birth — but to this day it's Paoli, far more than Napoleon, who's Corsica's national hero. Besides his fierce battle for Corsican independence, Paoli was a liberaliser and innovator; his Corsican Constitution was the world's first written constitution, and incorporated democratic principles including female suffrage. I sit at a cafe in the town square and order a clementine juice — a Corsican speciality — in the shadow of a defiant statue of Jean-Pierre Gaffori, a hero of Paoli's revolutionary movement, who was assassinated in 1750. The building behind him, his former home, is still riddled with bullet holes; above his head, the Corsican flag flaps in the breeze. Like neighbouring Sardinia's, the flag depicts a Moor's head, a legacy of Corsica's time as a territory of the Spanish kings of Aragon. On pre-revolutionary flags the Moor was blindfolded; legend has it that Paoli ordered the bandana to be lifted onto his forehead to symbolise the awakening of the Corsican people. Corsica's political climate remains fraught. Although calls for outright independence are no longer mainstream, the movement for greater autonomy remains strong. Photograph by Jonathan Stokes After another 90-minute drive, I reach my final destination for the day: the home (and holiday cottages) of musician Christian Andreani, in the village of Patrimonio. In the garden, in the shade of an age-thickened chestnut tree, Christian — a short, white-bearded man in glasses and a denim jacket — lays out a selection of ancient Corsican instruments. There are several extravagantly curved sheep horns, an array of wooden recorders and a flute made from a goat's leg bone. This latter instrument, Christian says, is similar to ones used by Corsica's mysterious prehistoric people, about whom little is known beyond the stone menhirs, or standing stones, they left behind. They bear millennia-old carvings of human figures that stand, open-mouthed, frozen as if awestruck by some higher power. Thousands of these figures still scatter the maquis; some stand proud in lonely groves, looking like they were carved yesterday; others lie face-down, cracked and strangled with ivy, waiting to be resurrected. Christian can often be found playing his instruments alone in the mountains, his only accompaniment the burbling of a stream and the tinkle of mule bells. 'It's a rapport with the land and with the cosmos,' he says, before picking up a huge conch shell and brandishing it with a raised fist. 'But this,' he says, 'is the sound of revolution.' He blows a bellowing note that sends birds scattering from the branches and threatens to rain a harvest of chestnuts down on our heads. 'Pasquale Paoli and his troops would blow these shells as a battle cry and to communicate across different valleys,' he says. Although Christian's instruments hark back to a time out of mind, the tunes he plays on them are Corsican folk songs, a genre that's undergone a renaissance in the past 50 years or so. 'We call it the Riacquistu — the reacquisition,' he says. From the 1970s onwards, Christian explains, the Corsican nationalism movement empowered islanders to rediscover the country's unique cultural elements: its Italianate language, long suppressed by the French authorities; winemaking; and folk music. Echoes of the Riacquistu are everywhere here. That very morning, I'd come down for breakfast in my gîte to find the proprietor playing a YouTube video entitled 'One hour of Corsican rebel/combat folk music', humming along between sips of his cafe au lait. These days, not everybody agrees with the methods of the more militant Corsican rebels, but many of these characters have nonetheless gained a place in the collective consciousness as folk heroes. For Christian, though, Corsican national pride doesn't disturb the harmony of present-day Patrimonio. 'This is a peaceful place now,' he says, before leaning in and adding with a conspiratorial whisper, 'there's even a Frenchman in the village.' Christian lays out a selection of ancient Corsican instruments. There are several extravagantly curved sheep horns, wooden recorders and a flute made from a goat's leg bone. Photograph by Jonathan Stokes Christian soon has a chance to showcase Patrimonio's community spirit. There's a musical performance taking place tonight at the San Martinu Church in the village, an imposing structure that looks, with its pockmarked walls and rugged stonework, almost as old as the prehistoric monoliths strewn across the Corsican hinterland. The church is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, a fourth-century Roman soldier-turned-monk whose travels inspired the new island-wide Saint Martin Pilgrimage Trail, a walking route that's been opening in stages since 2024. I enter the church as it's getting dark. Christian and a dozen or so other men take to the stage, dressed in grey cassocks, and deliver a rousing set of hymns, their voices coalescing in deep, rich harmony. After the performance, I get chatting to the person next to me on the pew: a smiling, grey-bearded man named Ange Torre. He's a musician, he tells me, and fronts the band Eppò, which combines rock with traditional Corsican folk music. He gives me a blast of one of their songs through his phone. It's a riotous blend of acoustic guitars, bass, drums and the polyphonic singing traditional to the Corsican countryside, all delivered passionately in the Corsican language. Ange acknowledges the influence and importance of the Riacquistu, but says his band initially faced opposition from some purists within the movement. 'A lot of people asked how we could mix traditional Corsican music with rock — they thought we were crazy,' he says. He's also on a mission to upend the atmosphere of the nationalist movement itself, and restore some joy to Corsican music. 'A lot of the music right now is sad or angry about the fight for independence, the injustice, the people that were killed or put in prison,' Ange explains. 'But many of us just want to dance. Nowadays that can seem quite radical — but people need joy.' The evil eye & the white witch The following morning, I take a walk on a forest trail outside Patrimonio through stands of chestnut and pine trees. While showing me around his garden the previous day, Christian had told me that he viewed its most ancient trees as totems. This idea of the totemic power of nature abides in rural Corsica, alongside a deeply rooted belief in a spirit world that exists with and influences our own, unseen to most, but not all. I'd read and heard whisperings about white witches, called signadoras, expert herbalists who purport to have the power to neutralise the evil eye, traditionally feared in Corsica and in cultures across the Mediterranean. I never expected to meet a signadora, but Christian tells me he knows one: a woman called Francesca Desideri. I drive back through the maquis to meet her in the village of Querciolo. The idea of the totemic power of nature abides in rural Corsica, alongside a rooted belief in a spirit world that exists with our own. Photograph by Jonathan Stokes Francesca greets me in her garden, outside a log cabin that serves as her kitchen and workspace. She's elderly, white-haired and has a deeply lined face, but is still sturdy and strong from a life outdoors, picking plants in the maquis. Her eyes are electric blue, bejewelling her eye sockets like semi-precious stones. We take a seat in the workshop, which appears untouched by the passing of centuries. Scythes and bundles of dried herbs hang on the wall, and a black-and-white cat peers nervously around an ancient-looking stove. On the table is a ceramic bowl full of water and a stoppered bottle of olive oil. Francesca motions for me to place my hand on one side of the bowl, then drips three drops of oil into the water, muttering incantations as she does so. These secret prayers, she tells me later, invoke the Virgin Mary — a Christian element absorbed into a pagan tradition to avoid having it stamped out by the Church. 'Christianity came to Corsica very late,' Francesca says. She repeats the oil-and-water process three times, and says that with each repetition, the behaviour of the oil changes, no longer scattering but joining together as one blob — a sure sign that any trace of the evil eye has been cast out. I can't tell much difference, but Francesca seems satisfied. Not all of Corsica's mystical inhabitants are a benign as the signadoras. Francesca tells me that most Corsican villages are home to people known as mazzere, who claim to enter the spiritual plane in their sleep and all have the same dream: that they're hunting in the maquis, where they kill a wild boar. They then turn over the animal's dead body to see the face of someone in the village, who'll be the next person to die in the waking world. These dream-hunters, Francesca says, are bestowed with their powers against their will, and are feared and ostracised in their villages as prophets of death. 'So although I know some,' she says, sharply, 'they won't want to talk to you.' Heroes & villains The final stop on my journey is Bonifacio. The town is split between a somnolent harbour, where little fishing skiffs bob next to expensive pleasure boats, and a grand hilltop citadel. From here, there are sweeping views over the glittering Strait of Bonifacio and the coast of Sardinia, just 10 miles to the south. On both levels, the buildings are handsome, centuries old and hewn from amber stone. The Corsican nationalism movement empowered islanders to rediscover the country's unique cultural elements: its language, winemaking, and folk music. Photograph by Jonathan Stokes 'In the past, the French government made Corsicans believe that they had to move to France to become successful. Recent generations have been empowered to stay and become successful here." Photograph by Jonathan Stokes As it happens, my visit coincides with De Renava contemporary art biennale, which is held in Bonifacio and runs from May to November. The event is hosted in spaces across town, but primarily in a vast, crumbling 19th-century building in the heart of the citadel that was formerly an army barracks. I pull up outside and am greeted by De Renava's co-founder, Dumè Marcellesi. He's a colourful character: a tall, broad-shouldered man in his early 30s, with wild curly hair and a moustache. He shows me around the gallery and I'm a little surprised, in a trendy Corsican contemporary art space, to find the opening room dominated by a huge oil painting of Napoleon Bonaparte, dressed in his coronation furs. It soon becomes clear, though, that this is a subversive statement. 'To some people he's still a hero; here on Corsica he's a villain,' says Dumè. 'The theme of the biennale is 'The Fall of Empires'. You English are specialists in the subject, of course,' he adds with a grin. Dumè signals to a tawdry souvenir vase, emblazoned with Napoleon's image, which sits on a plinth beside the painting. 'This is the modern legacy of Napoleon: cheap tat and tourist marketing,' he remarks. In a previous life, Dumè tells me, he was an investment banker in Paris and a professional rugby player for Stade Français. But during the pandemic he gave up the city life and moved back to the countryside near Bonifacio to take over his parents' farm, producing olives and cheese and becoming a mogul of Corsica's contemporary art scene. 'In the past, the French government made Corsicans believe that they had to move to France to become successful,' he says. 'But since the Riacquistu, that's all changed. Recent generations of Corsicans have been empowered to stay, or come back and become successful here. Corsica is no longer a cage.' In spite of which, he adds, in typically iconoclastic Corsican fashion, 'The Riacquistu is dead. It was a reaction — what we need now is some action.' Dumè's worry, he says, is that the movement to reposition Corsica's role within France plays down the island's merits. 'We need to stop defining ourselves by the past, be happy with what we are and focus on what we can do ourselves.' Dumè's aim with De Renava, he says, is to prove that Corsican artists can stand up alongside better-known international names. Between sketches by Jean-Michel Basquiat and a film by acclaimed Egyptian artist Youssef Nabil is an installation by Corsican artist Yan Leandri: an array of flickering TVs play footage from the 1980s and '90s, when nationalist violence was at its peak. On a wall outside, unrelated to the exhibition, is a stencil of Yvan Colonna, a Corsican nationalist who repeatedly maintained his innocence after being controversially jailed for the 1998 murder of Corsica's highest-ranking official, Claude Érignac. Colonna was himself murdered in jail by a fellow inmate in 2022 and has since become a symbol of the modern nationalist movement. Stencils like this can be seen sprayed on walls across the island. 'The villain became a hero,' Dumè says. 'And so the cycle goes on.' Getting there and around: British Airways flies direct from Heathrow to Figari three times a week in summer. Average flight time: 2h From the French mainland, Air Corsica offers year-round flights from Paris, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and Lyon to the Corsican airports of Ajaccio, Calvi, Bastia and Figari. Public transport is limited in Corsica. There's one train line, the U Trinichellu, which runs from Ajaccio to Bastia, stopping at Corte. There's also a limited bus service between large towns. Most visitors will find it easiest to rent a car; offices including Avis and Enterprise are represented at the island's airports. When to go The shoulder seasons of spring and autumn (March to May and September to November) are fantastic times to visit Corsica, without the heavy crowds and searing heat of summer. Temperatures often exceed 30C in August, for example, as opposed to average highs of 22C in October. Where to stay: Hôtel Spunta di Mare, Ajaccio. From €75 (£64), B&B. Roc Seven Casa Santini, Porto-Vecchio. From €225 (£188), B&B. More info: DK Top 10 Corsica. £8.99 How to do it: Exodus Adventure Travels has an eight-night Mountains & Villages itinerary in Corsica, covering stops in Ajaccio, Corte and Bastia and visits to prehistoric menhirs, museums and beaches. From £1,349 per person, including transfers, train travel, all meals and guided hikes. Excludes flights. This trip was supported by ATC Corsica, Air Corsica and Atout France. Published in the July/August 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Princess Kate's Best Cape Dress Looks, So Far
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Princess Kate stunned in a red cape dress for a State Banquet held to mark the French President's visit to Britain this week, but it is by no means the first time her capes have turned heads. The Princess of Wales also stunned in a gold cape dress for the No Time to Die James Bond premiere in 2021 and for a 2023 State Visit by the South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Here are some of the best capes that have caught the eyes of fashion experts and royal watchers. Kate Middleton (left) at a State Banquet for French President Emmanuel Macron at Windsor Castle on July 8, 2025, and (right) at the "No Time to Die" world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on... Kate Middleton (left) at a State Banquet for French President Emmanuel Macron at Windsor Castle on July 8, 2025, and (right) at the "No Time to Die" world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on September 28, 2021. Moreand Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Kate's Red Givenchy Cape Gown At a State Banquet honoring French President Emmanuel Macron at Windsor Castle on Tuesday night, Kate dazzled in a dark red silk creponne cape gown designed by Sarah Burton for Givenchy. Burton designed Kate's wedding dress while at Alexander McQueen and the princess has worn McQueen numerous further times since, while Burton was creative director. The designer began working for the French luxury brand Givenchy in 2024 and Macron's visit gave Kate the perfect opportunity to go back to Burton in celebration of French culture. Kate paired the gown with Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara and a lilly of the valley embroidered evening clutch. Princess Kate and Prince William attend the State Banquet at Windsor Castle on July 8, 2025, the princess wearing a deep red Givenchy cape dress. Princess Kate and Prince William attend the State Banquet at Windsor Castle on July 8, 2025, the princess wearing a deep red Givenchy cape Gold Jenny Packham Cape Gown One of Kate's most stunning cape dresses was the gold sequin gown by Jenny Packham that she wore to the global premiere of James Bond hit No Time to Die, in 2021. It featured a floor-length cape and a metallic look, which she paired with a Grecian style updo. Even Danial Craig, who played Bond in the film, was reportedly impressed, telling the princess, "You look jolly lovely," according to U.K. broadsheet The Times. Words that could have been spoken by Bond himself. Princess Kate wore a Jenny Packham gold cape dress to the World Premiere of "No Time to Die" at the Royal Albert Hall in London on September 28, 2021. Princess Kate wore a Jenny Packham gold cape dress to the World Premiere of "No Time to Die" at the Royal Albert Hall in London on September 28, 2021. David M. Benett/Red Catherine Walker Cape Ensemble In November 2023, Kate helped the royals welcome then South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and she opted for a bold red cape by Catherine Walker, paired with a matching maxi dress. The ensemble featured dramatic pleats and she wore it on Horse Guards Parade, in London, on day one of the visit on November 21, 2023. Princess Kate wore a red cape dress to the ceremonial welcome in London for the president and first lady of the Republic of Korea on November 21, 2023. Princess Kate wore a red cape dress to the ceremonial welcome in London for the president and first lady of the Republic of Korea on November 21, 2023. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Blue Safiyaa Cape Gown Kate wore an electric blue cape gown by London-based designer Safiyaa at the Royal Variety Performance at London's Royal Albert Hall, in November 2023. The gown's sleek silhouette and vibrant hue highlighted her command of party-season dressing. Princess Kate attends The Royal Variety Performance 2023 at Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023. Princess Kate attends The Royal Variety Performance 2023 at Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023. Karwai Tang/WireImage Princess Kate's Jenny Packham Cape-like Sleeves The Princess of Wales wore an embellished, white Jenny Packham gown for the State Banquet held in honor of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022. The dress had dramatic, floor lengthc cape-like sleeves falling from the shoulders. Kate Middleton during the State Banquet for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022. Kate Middleton during the State Banquet for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace on November 22, Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Tom's Guide
4 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I used Perplexity AI to plan my next trip — here's how you can too
Planning a trip abroad is only as stressful as you make it. If you're tight on time and don't want to watch lengthy travel vlogs or fall down research rabbit holes, Perplexity AI is proving useful to millions of travelers. Earlier this year, Tripadvisor and Perplexity announced a partnership which gives the chatbot access to more than one billion reviews and contributions. With the right prompts you'll be able to make the most out of all that information so that instead of simply relying on suggestions written by people you don't know, you can tell Perplexity what you'd actually enjoy doing. If you're one of the 1.5 million people flying from the US to Japan this summer, why not also use AI to make your experience extra memorable? Perplexity Co-Founder Johnny Ho revealed travel is a top search category for users of his AI chatbot. It's easy to see why. With a dedicated AI travel section and a user experience that matches that of the best chatbots you've used so far, Perplexity will surely make planning your next vacation abroad a breeze. To get travel advice you'd actually want to follow using Perplexity, this is exactly what you need to do. To get started you'll want to sign in to your Perplexity account. If you don't have an account yet, you can get started for free with your existing Google or Apple accounts. Alternatively, you can register using your email address and a sign-in code will be automatically sent to your inbox. Once you're logged in, you'll want to head straight to Perplexity Travel. You can access the section using the new thread button represented by a plus symbol. Then click on the travel tab in the sidebar. In Perplexity Travel you'll have the opportunity to create your own adventure or let yourself be inspired by a curated selection of travel guides. To access one of the ready-made pieces, scroll down to the Trending Destinations and Inspiration sections and click on your desired experience. If you've already made up your mind about where you want to travel to and want to create your own custom guide, then this is where the prompt box comes in. Like all other major Chatbots, simply type in your prompt and click submit. One way to use Perplexity Travel is to ask it to act as a boutique travel agent. In this way, it will ask you relevant questions that will help it create a travel itinerary that you'd actually enjoy. An example of a prompt you can use is: You are a boutique travel agent focused on curating immersive cultural travel experiences. You will be creating a 7-day itinerary for a young couple visiting Tokyo for the first time. They don't speak Japanese. Create a short list of questions that will help you plan an experience they'd truly enjoy. Once you've had a chat with Perplexity about your interests and special requests, you can request a curated itinerary which includes tips about accommodation, food, and transport. Perplexity started by recommending a hotel and it went on to provide me with a 7-day itinerary. It suggested morning, afternoon, and evening activities along with restaurant options. If you're curious to know where Perplexity Travel is basing its recommendations on, you'll find a handy list of sources you can browse through. For my Tokyo guide I saw that it was pulling information from all the right places including Tripadvisor, Viator, and Expedia. This information is available in the sources tab. For a more precise look at how Perplexity handled your request, you can even have a look at the steps it took to create your travel plan. It shows how the information was obtained, along with the search queries it used. To view all this, simply click on the steps tab. Now you've learned how to use Perplexity as your own travel agent, why not take a look at our other useful AI articles? Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Check out I tested 5 custom GPTs — skip the rest and try these today and you're not using ChatGPT right unless you ask these 4 questions. And if you're interesting in creating the best images in Gemini, don't miss this article.
