As a young girl traveling throughout Africa, I was exposed to the many wonders of the continent everywhere – spicy okra soup, jollof rice, colorful Herero women and the ample Kalahari desert. My father’s work as a diplomat took us to Namibia and Nigeria and introduced me to cultures long before I could even speak. And yet, those formative years on the road did little to stop me from harboring my own set of biases. In particular against Europeans. It seemed my wholesome and religious ideals were a stark contrast to how many Europeans lived their lives. It wasn’t until my family moved to Amsterdam when I was 13 that I discovered Europe was teeming with linguistic and cultural intricacies, varied religious beliefs and it was more ethnically diverse than television programming had led me to believe. Just as Mark Twain asserted in his book The Innocents Abroad, travel became an infallible elixir for the disease of bigotry. Simply visiting another country isn't enough to cure bias © Rosie Bell / Lonely PlanetThrough travel, I was introduced to people’s complexities. It enabled self-reflection by forcing me to compare here and there. My worldview shifted and I’ve never been the same. The very word travel encompasses history, culture, adventure, nature, food, drink and leisure. It can be (and should be) much more than mindless escapism. Travel can be a remedy for biases – conscious and unconscious. Yet many limiting beliefs about “others” are persistent even in those who are well-traveled. Simply leaving one’s home is insufficient to dismantle prejudices. After all, not everyone travels with their eyes open and others pack their biases around with them. Before my first trip to Argentina, my world conspired for me to hate it. The resounding verdict from people I knew was that I would be poked and prodded and surely robbed at machete point. To date, the only place I have been robbed was Paris. A lot of the warnings we read about certain countries are laden with deeply-rooted racist sentiments. Stories like “these are the worst places to go” may be well-intentioned, but they are unhelpful in the long run. Danger will always exist in societies that are rife with economic inequality and no country is exempt from that. Go beyond the standard destinations or locales to fully immerse in a culture © Ehtesham Khaled / Getty ImagesAllowing travel to open your mind In order for our voyages to trigger positive cognitive transformations, we must be prepared to see things with fresh eyes, willing to pass through places and let them truly pass through us, and travel not just to reenact established tropes. When you arrive in Paris or Rome, go beyond seeing the Eiffel Tower or throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain. Many travel to simply confirm pre-existing beliefs about a place – that they’ll find a spiritual awakening in Goa and Bali, or that a safari is the sole reason to visit Africa. A study from the Journal of Current Issues in Tourism found that travel’s power to be transformative depends on several factors including interaction with people, integration, being away doing unfamiliar activities and reflection. Essentially, recreating your home environment in someone else’s backyard will do little to educate yourself on the true essence of a place and its inhabitants. One cannot spend a week in at a Cancun resort and claim to "know Mexico." Don't allow perceived differences make you fear or judge another culture © aphotostory / ShutterstockTravel can also only initiate the undoing of the prejudices we hold about certain groups if we actually interact with them. A Harvard study found that guests with "African-American sounding names" were roughly 16% less likely to be accepted by Airbnb hosts compared to their white-sounding counterparts. Airbnb is the canonical example of the sharing economy where names influence the first impressions people make. Hidden bias, therefore, prevents hosts from fraternizing with the very people who could temper the prejudices they hold. Pavlovian conditioning suggests that repeated exposure can condition new responses to things we fear, dislike or distrust. If racist ideas are human-made, breaking them should be within our grasp. In other words, the more places we visit and the deeper our connections there, the greater the likelihood of quelling unsavory thoughts. In a perfect world, travel can indeed cure bias © Bartosz Hadyniak/Getty ImagesWhile some biases are not overtly harmful, they are limiting to the individual and widen the perceived distance between “us” and “them.” Despite lenient laws, not all Dutch people are pro-marijuana. Not all North Americans are loud. Black people swim, hike and also ride bikes. In a perfect world, travel can indeed cure bias, but this surely depends on our open-mindedness and the depth and intent of our trips. We can better navigate the cultural zeitgeist of a place and its people when we roll our sleeves up, dive in and throw out the book we think we already read. It holds true that travel dusts the cobwebs off locked imaginations, but a willingness to unlock them in the first place is key. This piece originally appeared on our sister site, Lonely Planet.

The coronavirus has quickly upended the world of travel, and it undoubtedly will have a lasting impact on the industry moving forward – travelers will need to keep some extra considerations in mind before booking their trips. Here are some questions we'll all need to ask before we take to the road and skies once again. What can I do to prevent spreading illness when I travel? When you travel, you come into contact with dozens of people throughout your journey: the TSA agents at the airport, the taxi driver in your destination, the hotel employees at the front desk. Our future trips should not only prioritize our own safety, but the safety of others; how can we be best prepared? Airlines are already requiring travelers to don masks during their flights, and it might be good practice to keep masks handy on any trips moving forward, even if they aren’t mandatory; they’ll be handy to have in any crowded space. Create a travel bag with sanitizing essentials for cleaning your spaces and surfaces when you arrive and when you leave. Once you’re in your destination, prioritize washing your hands and avoid touching shared surfaces if possible. Is my destination at risk for overtourism? What could that mean for public health? The issue of overtourism was a hot topic in the travelsphere prior to the coronavirus pandemic, and images of some of the world’s most crowded destinations have gone viral thanks to their uncharacteristic emptiness – the streets of Rome, Times Square, Angkor Wat and the beaches of Rio are all devoid of the visitors that they are known for. That said, such popular landmarks will present new risks once travel resumes; since many are public spaces, regulation of crowds could prove to be difficult. Steering clear of historically overtouristed sights will be an important step in risk mitigation. Is my destination home to vulnerable populations without adequate medical care? What is my potential impact? As the pandemic has shown, every country varies in its ability to handle and contain a widespread illness; even the most developed healthcare systems nearly buckled under the weight of the crisis. When we travel, we have to recognize that we might carry a contagion with us, and while some places might have the infrastructure to deal with the potential fallout, many do not. If you’re considering visiting a place where healthcare systems are strained and facilities are rare, put off making the trip and contribute to the economy in another way for now. Many people around the world struggle with healthcare access under normal circumstances, and an introduced illness could prove disastrous for their communities. Does my travel insurance cover international healthcare treatment, emergency evacuation or quarantine measures? It’s likely that travel insurance will become more important than ever, and picking the right policy means reading all the fine print about your coverage, particularly when it comes to your health. Some of the more general policies focus on travel logistics rather than healthcare, things like trip cancellations, lost luggage and broken equipment; we suggest looking at the specifics regarding treatment in international hospitals and emergency evacuation, and investing a bit more in your policy to get higher coverage. Healthcare can be expensive, and while $10,000 worth of medical coverage sounds like a lot, the cost of serious procedures can potentially be much more. Similarly, it’s worth calling and asking about unexpected quarantine costs; if you are screened and test positive for fever or illness and must be quarantined while traveling, will subsequent cancellations, trip adjustments and costs be covered? Do I have enough savings to cover unforeseen emergency costs while on the road? With doctors and scientists worried about subsequent waves of illness in the future, having a nest egg of savings ready before you hit the road could help you avoid a financial emergency should another crisis be set in motion. If your travel insurance is minimal, you will be responsible for any major illness- and quarantine-related costs incurred during your travels. Factoring in an emergency fund when you are trip planning could save you a lot of stress, should travel suddenly be limited or changed due to world health developments. What can I do to support local businesses hurting from lack of business during quarantine? The global economic fallout from the coronavirus quarantine has thrown a harsh light on the precarious positions of small businesses in the world market. Many have faced permanent closure, and those that are left are operating on a fraction of their already thin margin, hoping to wait it out. Investing in sustainable travel that feeds directly back into the communities is more important than ever. Once it’s time to book your first post-COVID trip, prioritize local hotels, restaurants and experience providers rather than international brands and chains – your dollars will provide much needed relief from quarantine financial hardship How can I be a more environmentally conscious traveler post-COVID? While dolphins may not actually be returning to Venice canals, the quarantine has revealed just how much of an impact our travels have on the environment. Phenomena like smog reduction, plant regrowth and more visible wildlife have all highlighted the fact that our impact is significant and wide-reaching. For your next trips, consider the “slow” approach to travel, opting for destinations that are geographically closer to you and transport methods with fewer emissions. Ask yourself: how can I preserve the positive environmental changes that have been made during this time of stillness? Which of my old habits were the most damaging and how can I avoid them? The quarantine has given us a chance to look hard at our travel methods and consider better ones for the future.

To get through the COVID-19 quarantine crisis, we polled our readers for some of their favorite travel movies. Here is a list of 15 movie recommendations to scratch your travel itch while you're stuck at home: Eat Pray Love (rent on Amazon for $2.99) Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having -- a husband, a house, a successful career -- yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali. Under the Tuscan Sun (Hulu) Frances Mayes is a 35-year-old San Francisco writer whose perfect life has just taken an unexpected detour. Her recent divorce has left her with terminal writer's block and extremely depressed. Her best friend, Patti, is beginning to think that she might never recover. "Dr. Patti's" prescription: 10 days in Tuscany. It's there, on a whim, that Frances purchases a villa named Bramasole--literally, "something that yearns for the sun." The home needs much restoration, but what better place for a new beginning than the home of the Renaissance? As she flings herself into her new life at the villa in the lush Italian countryside, Frances makes new friends among her neighbors; but in the quiet moments, she is fearful that her ambitions for her new life--and new family--may not be realized, until a chance encounter in Rome throws Frances into the arms of an intriguing Portobello antiques dealer named Marcello. Even as she stumbles forward on her uncertain journey, one thing becomes clear: in life, there are second chances. Secret Life of Walter Mitty (FX Now) (Rent on Amazon for $3.99) Ben Stiller directs and stars in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, James Thurber's classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined. Lost in Translation (Starz, rent on Amazon for $3.99) After making a striking directorial debut with her screen adaptation of The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola offers a story of love and friendship blooming under unlikely circumstances in this comedy drama. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a well-known American actor whose career has gone into a tailspin; needing work, he takes a very large fee to appear in a commercial for Japanese whiskey to be shot in Tokyo. Feeling no small degree of culture shock in Japan, Bob spends most of his non-working hours at his hotel, where he meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) at the bar. Twentysomething Charlotte is married to John (Giovanni Ribisi), a successful photographer who is in Tokyo on an assignment, leaving her to while away her time while he works. Beyond their shared bemusement and confusion with the sights and sounds of contemporary Tokyo, Bob and Charlotte share a similar dissatisfaction with their lives; the spark has gone out of Bob's marriage, and he's become disillusioned with his career. Meanwhile, Charlotte is puzzled with how much John has changed in their two years of marriage, while she's been unable to launch a creative career of her own. Bob and Charlotte become fast friends, and as they explore Tokyo, they begin to wonder if their sudden friendship might be growing into something more. Midnight in Paris (Showtime, rent on Amazon for $3.99) This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It's about a young man's great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better. Into the Wild (Showtime, rent on Amazon for $2.99) Freshly graduated from college with a promising future ahead, 22 year-old Christopher McCandless instead walked out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of adventure. What happened to him on the way transformed this young wanderer into an enduring symbol for countless people. Was Christopher McCandless a heroic adventurer or a naïve idealist, a rebellious 1990s Thoreau or another lost American son, a fearless risk-taker or a tragic figure who wrestled with the precarious balance between man and nature? McCandless' quest took him from the wheat fields of South Dakota to a renegade trip down the Colorado River to the non-conformists' refuge of Slab City, California, and beyond. Along the way, he encountered a series of colorful characters at the very edges of American society who shaped his understanding of life and whose lives he, in turn, changed. In the end, he tested himself by heading alone into the wilds of the great North, where everything he had seen and learned and felt came to a head in ways he never could have expected. Edie (Rent on Amazon for $3.99) Following the death of her husband, Edie (Sheila Hancock) breaks free from years of his control and rebels against her daughter's wish for her to move into assisted living by embarking on an adventure she and her father had always longed for: a trip to the Scottish Highlands to climb the world famous Mt. Suilven. Along the way, she hires young camping shop owner Jonny (Kevin Guthrie) to be her guide. Despite the generational differences, Jonny encourages Edie to fulfill her dream. 7 Years in Tibet (Rent on Amazon for $2.99) Jean-Jacques Annaud (The Name of the Rose, Quest for Fire) directed this Becky Johnston adaptation of Heinrich Harrer. In 1943, an Austrian mountain climber-skier (Brad Pitt) escapes from a British internment camp in India, travels over the Himalayas, arrives in Lhasato, and becomes friends with the Dalai Lama. Filmed in Argentina, Chile, and Canada. Life of Pi (Rent on Amazon for $3.99) Director Ang Lee creates a groundbreaking movie event about a young man who survives a disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with another survivor...a fearsome Bengal tiger. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Rent on Amazon for $3.99) When they turn 16, four lifelong friends are upset over the prospect of spending their first summer apart. As they scatter to different locations, their one bond is a cherished pair of jeans they've shared. Each will keep the pants for two weeks of her trip, passing them on to the next girl. Each faces serious coming-of-age problems, and somehow the pants help them through. National Lampoon’s Vacation (Hulu) The first film in the Vacation comedy franchise stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, an ad exec who becomes consumed with taking his family cross-country to Wally World, a California amusement park. Less a vacation than a descent into a peculiarly American kind of hell, the Griswolds suffer through an endless series of catastrophes, culminating in a run-in with the law. Up in the air (Amazon Prime, Hulu) Ryan Bingham, a corporate hatchet man who loves his life on the road, is forced to fight for his job when his company downsizes its travel budget. He is required to spend more time at home just as he is on the cusp of a goal he's worked toward for years: reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he's met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams. Cast Away (Cinemax, $3.99 Amazon) An exploration of human survival and the ability of fate to alter even the tidiest of lives with one major event, Cast Away tells the story of Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks), a Federal Express engineer who devotes most of his life to his troubleshooting job. His girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) is often neglected by his dedication to work, and his compulsive personality suggests a conflicted man. But on Christmas Eve, Chuck proposes marriage to Kelly right before embarking on a large assignment. On the assignment, a plane crash strands Chuck on a remote island, and his fast-paced life is slowed to a crawl, as he is miles removed from any human contact. Finding solace only in a volleyball that he befriends, Chuck must now learn to endure the emotional and physical stress of his new life, unsure of when he may return to the civilization he knew before. Cast Away reunites star Hanks with director Robert Zemeckis, their first film together since 1994's Oscar-winning Forrest Gump. Mile, Mile and a Half (Netflix) Filmmakers Ric Serena and Jason Fitzpatrick follow an ever-growing group of adventurous young artists on their ambitious quest to hike all 219 miles of California's John Muir Trail. Expedition Happiness (Netflix) Two free spirits, one dog. Traveling the vast spaces of an enormous continent in search of something more.

Whether you’re gazing upon the Trevi Fountain in Rome, dining on baguettes in the South of France, or trying to wrap your head around the Acropolis in Athens, a Mediterranean cruise is the trip of a lifetime. When to book a Mediterranean cruise Booking far in advance (two years or more) or relatively last minute (two months or less) can often find you cheaper prices. June, July and August tend to be the busiest, and most expensive, months to take a Mediterranean cruise. Your money will often go further if you plan for the shoulder seasons in spring and fall, when the weather is still reliable, if chillier and grayer. Winter will get you even steeper discounts and fewer crowds, but in most cases, it lacks the sunshine and warm weather the Mediterranean is known for, and you’ll have fewer daylight hours to explore. How to find the best cruise deals Discount sites like Expedia, Kayak, or cruise-specific sites like Cruise Critic can lead to excellent prices. Cruises typically set their rates as per-person with an assumed double occupancy, or as per-day prices. Consider what’s included in that price. For longer trips, is there self-service laundry on board, or is there a fee? Are drinks ­– coffee, alcohol, juices, sodas – included? What are your food options, and what to reviews say about food quality? You’ll be spending a lot of time on the ship, so know what you’re paying for. Below, we’ve tried to give you an idea of the cheapest Mediterranean cruise options. Everything is in per-person rates. MSC and Costa dominate as the lowest-priced options (under $500) when it comes to Mediterranean itineraries, although Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean will sometimes have deals of note. How to choose a Western Mediterranean vs. Eastern Mediterranean cruises Both areas have Unesco World Heritage sites, unbeatable local cuisine and excellent shopping. Western cruises in the budget realm tend to focus on Spain, France, Tunisia, and western parts of Italy, such as Genoa and Rome. Eastern Mediterranean cruises hit Italian destinations like Venice, as well as Greece, Montenegro and Croatia. If you’re most thrilled by warm sandy beaches, the Eastern Mediterranean will be the best choice. Some Eastern Mediterranean itineraries may also include Albania or as far as Turkey and Middle Eastern countries, though we couldn’t find them on any budget itineraries. The best budget Western Mediterranean cruises If you want to keep your cruise real short, MSC runs deals on single-night itineraries from one western Mediterranean city to another for less than $100 per person. For example, as of this writing, there are April 2020 overnights from Genoa, Italy, to Marseille, France or Barcelona, Spain for $69. Keep an eye out for MSC’s promotional deals, which often include a 2-for-1 price with kids sailing free. For example, an eight day, seven night sailing on MSC Poesia (one of the most elegant ships in MSC’s fleet) to Italy, France, Spain and Tunisia in November starts as little as $389. On Costa Cruises, a three-night western Mediterranean itinerary can be as cheap as $231 in October, sailing to Marseille, Barcelona and Genoa. This one is on their Costa Magica ship, which attracts a lot of Italian cruisers and has Italian-themed decor to match. If you’re the plan-ahead type, you can spend three days visiting Rome, Naples and Barcelona on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, currently the world’s second largest cruise ship, for less than $400 per person, but you’ll need to book as far out as October 2021. When it comes to high season prices, the newly-launched Costa Smerelda sails to Barcelona, Palma, Cagliari, Rome, Savona, and Marseilles for as low as $669 in June. Bonus: the ship was designed to use 100% liquefied natural petrol to cut exhaust emissions. Royal Caribbean International’s best deal is a seven night trip in August through Italy, Spain and France on Explorer of the Seas – which has an ice skating rink, surf simulator, and rock climbing wall onboard – for $754. The best budget Eastern Mediterranean cruises: Eastern Italy, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro Limited on time and money? See three countries in four days for $279 aboard the MSC Musica in October, which sails to Greece, Montenegro and Venice, Italy. For folks with more vacation days, spend seven nights on the MSC Lirica to see several spots in Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece for $347. When it comes to the high season, Costa has a late May steal of a deal for a seven night cruise for $649 on the Costa Deliziosa, a relatively small ship with room for less than 2,300 passengers. This route stops in Venice and Bari, Italy, as well as several ports in Greece. Royal Caribbean International has seven night July itineraries that explore Greece and Croatia for less than $800 on Rhapsody of the Seas, which has run numerous awards from Cruise Critic, including 2018’s best dining, best entertainment, best overall cruise ship, and best value. A seven-day trip on the Celebrity Infinity in late June hovers around $940, likely because the ship is getting a planned major overhaul later in the year. But hey, it’s still a great way to Venice, Split, Kotor, Corfu, Naples and Rome, and people regularly praise the variety of restaurants onboard, renovation or not.

Travelers today have no shortage of options when it comes to renting a car. In particular, the rise of carsharing services has revolutionized the way people get around. As of May 2019, carsharing was available in 59 countries, according to an industry analysis by movmi and the Carsharing Association (CSA), with 236 carshare operators in 3,128 cities. But why choose a carsharing service over a traditional car rental company like Enterprise or Hertz? Pam Cooley, executive director at CSA, says it often boils down to cost: ‘Carsharing is usually cheaper than car rental companies,’ she says. Indeed, by some estimates carsharing prices are about 30 percent lower than car-rental rates. Still, ‘if you’re a traveler, you have to research what businesses operate at your destination,’ Cooley adds. To help you narrow down your carsharing options, we’ll look at three of the biggest players in the industry: Zipcar, Turo, and Car2Go. Here’s how these services stack up: Zipcar How it works: Zipcar customers pay a monthly membership fee in exchange for a Zipcard, which they scan on a device under. the windshield of their chosen rental vehicle to unlock and lock the car at the start and end of each reservation. Each vehicle has a reserved parking space (called a ‘home location’), where it must be returned with at least one-quarter tank of gas. Members book reservations through Zipcar’s website or mobile app, which they use to locate the rental car. What it includes: Zipcar covers the cost of gas, insurance, and maintenance. It also offers dedicated parking spots in many areas. All reservations include up to 180 miles of driving per day. How much it costs: Membership fees start at $7 a month or $70 a year. In return, Zipcar members can rent cars from $7.75 an hour or $69 a day. (Rates vary depending on the type of vehicle.) Each car rental includes a complimentary gas card, so customers pay nothing at the pump to refill their ride. Where it’s available: Launched in 2000, Zipcar is the largest carsharing service in the world. The company operates in more than 500 cities and towns and on more than 600 college campuses around the world. Fleet: Zipcar offers members vehicles from more than 60 different makes and models, including Audis, BMWs, Mini Coopers, Prius hybrids, minivans, pickup trucks, and cargo vans. Turo How it works: Unlike Zipcar, where customers rent vehicles from the company, Turo users rent cars directly from local car owners. The owners have the option to set their own rates, or they can have Turo set their car’s price based on local market data. Customers make reservations through Turo’s website or mobile app, and they set their pickup dates and times to suit their plans. To exchange keys, owners will deliver the car to custom locations around town or nearby airports, or allow travelers to pick up the vehicle at the owner’s chosen location. What it includes: Depending on the vehicle, insurance is provided to the driver from Turo or the car owner. Car owners choose how many miles or kilometers they want to include per trip; this can be a daily, weekly, or monthly limit. Turo provides 24/7 roadside assistance. How much it costs: In addition to the car owner’s rental rate, each rental charges a trip fee (that varies depending on the location), a security deposit, and taxes. (Some car owners also charge a delivery fee.) The car owner may also ask the renter to pay for additional post-trip costs, such as cleaning and tolls. Typically, renters pay for their own gas. There is no membership fee for car renters. Where it’s available: Though Turo operates in a number of cities around the world, its primary marketplaces are in the United States, the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Fleet: Looking for an exotic or luxury vehicle? Although car offerings vary depending on location and availability, Turo makes and models often include Teslas, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maseratis, and more. Economy cars, SUVs, mini-vans, and pickup trucks are also offered. More on Carsharing: Getaround Makes the Car Rental Experience Personal car2go How it works: A German rental car company, car2go’s business model is simple: customers use the service’s mobile app to search for available cars in their area. The vehicles are located on the street or in designated parking lots. Customers access the car using the app (with no reservations required), drive it for however long they want to, and then park it in any approved legal parking spot in the vehicle’s designated home area, such as within a city’s limits—meaning there’s no need to return the car to its original location. (That’s a nice convenience.) What it includes: Car insurance is provided by car2go. The company also provides roadside assistance around the clock and free parking spaces in certain areas. How much it costs: There are no annual or monthly fees or membership costs. Cars can be rented by the minute, hour, or day. Rates vary depending on the vehicle model, city, and time. To give you a benchmark, though: a one-hour car2go rental in Washington, D.C. starts at $16. Some pickup locations, such as airports, may charge an additional fee. Also, customers are subject to a cleaning fee of $50 for stains, smoke, and pet hair. Where it’s available: The company operates in major cities in the U.S. and Europe, including New York City, Seattle, London, Rome, and Paris. One big caveat: in October 2019 car2go announced it is pulling out of five North American cities: Austin, TX; Calgary, Alberta; Portland, OR; Denver; and Chicago. Fleet: The company offers three types of vehicles: a smartcar (a tiny two-seater that’s ideal for squeezing into tight parking spaces), the Mercedes-Benz GLA (a hatchback that offers extra cargo space), and the Mercedes-Benz CLA (a stylish four-seat sedan). The verdict The best carsharing service truly depends on your needs. If you do a lot of traveling and rent cars frequently, paying to be a Zipcar member might make financial sense, since the company offers relatively low rental prices. If you only need a vehicle to get you from point A to point B, car2go is a great option, since you can leave the car wherever you choose. Turo, meanwhile, offers a number of sports cars you can’t find from the other carsharing providers.

It can be hard to stay afloat of Italy's wave of bans on visitor-related misbehavior. From snacking on the street in Florence to riding a bike in Venice's city center, there are specific everyday activities that could see you slapped with a fine of up to €500 ($550) or daspo (temporary ban). Italian authorities have introduced a slew of new rules aimed at curbing unacceptable behavior, many of which are in response to issues with overtourism. Some have been introduced with a zero-tolerance approach. In June, a Canadian tourist was fined €250 ($278) for sunbathing in her bikini in Venice's Giardini Papadopoli. While in July, two German tourists were fined €950 ($1058) and immediately asked to leave the city after they were found making coffee on a portable stove beneath the historic Rialto Bridge. Officials confirmed that this was the 40th time since May that visitors have been ordered to leave town for breaching the rules. "Venice must be respected," mayor Luigi Brugnaro said at the time, "and bad-mannered people who think they can come here and do what they want must understand that, thanks to local police, they will be caught, punished and expelled." It's not just Venice taking firm action. Two French tourists were caught allegedly taking sand from a beach in Sardinia this month and could face up to six years in prison. And in Rome, police have been encouraging lounging tourists to move from the Spanish Steps as sitting on them is now subject to a fine of about €400 ($450). At first glance, the rules may seem harsh but residents in Italy are really starting to feel the strain of overtourism. Many have had enough of visitors treating their cities like theme parks. You obviously don't want to be that person who could cause offense (or worse, commit an offense). Simply respecting Italy and its citizens should be enough to keep you out of trouble but even the most well-intentioned visitor might slip up from time to time. With that in mind, here's a quick brief at what not to do on your next visit to Italy: 1. Purchase unauthorized tours from touts in any city. 2. Purchase "skip-the-line" tours outside historic monuments in Rome such as the Vatican. 3. Join organized pub crawls in Rome. 4. Eat or drink at famous sites in any city, like the Spanish Steps. 5. Sit or lay down in front of shops, historic monuments and bridges. You'll more than likely be moved on. 6. Eat on the streets of Florence's historic center – Via de' Neri, Piazzale degli Uffizi, Piazza del Grano and Via della Ninna – from noon to 3pm and from 6pm to 10pm daily. 7. Drag pushchairs or wheeled suitcases up the Spanish Steps in Rome. 8. Jump into fountains or otherwise damage or climb on them. 9. Set up picnics in public spaces or pause too long on bridges in Venice. 10. Ride bikes in Venice city center. 11. Drink alcohol on the street between 8pm and 8am in Venice. 12. Busk on public transport in Rome. 13. Attach love locks to bridges in Rome and Venice. 14. Take part in group celebrations such as hen and stag parties outdoors during weeknights in Venice. They're only permitted outdoors during the day or on weekends. 15. Let your mouth touch the spout of Rome's public drinking fountains, known as nasoni. Instead cup your hands under the spout of place your finger under the stream to direct an arc of water to your mouth like the Romans do. 16. Drink alcohol out of glass containers on public streets, public transit and in non-enclosed green spaces in Rome after 10pm. Or drink alcohol out of any container after midnight in these spaces. 17. Dress up as a historical figure or character like a "centurion" (gladiator) in Rome and pose for photos with tourists. 18. Walk around shirtless or in your swimwear in any metropolitan area. This state of dress is strictly restricted to the beach or lido. 19. Wear sandals or flip-flops while hiking in Cinque Terre. 20. Swim in the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri. You can visit by boat but swimming in the grotto is strictly forbidden, just ask supermodel Heidi Klum who was fined €6000 ($6696) for taking a dip in the waters this summer. 21. Steal sand from the beaches of Sardinia (or any beach for that matter). You could face up to six years in prison.