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Lonely Planet turns 50 this year and, to celebrate, our guidebooks are getting a glow up!

A lot has changed since 1973. While travel has altered, mostly for the better since those heady days, travelers are still keen to be given a time-proven helping hand via a trusty guidebook.

So when you open a new Lonely Planet guidebook we think you’ll see some things you’ll like. We have some fresh takes on ways to experience popular hot spots, excellent off-the-beaten-track recommendations and much more local content. We feature new writers from different backgrounds and local experts with deep knowledge of their home regions.

You’ll still find the same Lonely Planet know-how but these days it’s a more visual experience, with QR codes so you can continue planning online.

So check out our new editions of Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Florence & Tuscany, Naples, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast, Southern Italy and Sicily. Keep an eye out over the coming months as all our new release guidebooks get this gorgeous upgrade.

-- Chris Zeiher, Senior Director of Trade and Marketing

Eat your way through Italy

No one knows Italy like Virginia DiGaetano, an Umbrian local, who wrote a love letter to “real” Italian food in this edition of the Italy guidebook. With Virginia's tips, you'll know how to find Italy's most authentic dishes.

Grab your guide to Italy

LP IN THE WILD

Taking your Lonely Planet guidebook with you on the road? Send your photo to social@lonelyplanet.com and we might include it in our next newsletter!

A Lonely Planet guidebook held up against a bridge in New York City

Behind the byline: Portugal

Joana Taborda kicks off this edition of Portugal by saying: “Portugal lives for the simple pleasures. It doesn’t take much to find happiness here”. Here we talk with Joana about what it was like telling the world about her home country.

What’s the one place in Portugal you would recommend?

The villages around the Alqueva. Twenty-one years ago, this artificial lake didn’t exist. Besides supplying water to agricultural fields, the lake changed everything you see: places like Monsaraz gained new views, a river beach and an astronomical observatory while keeping its medieval castle. So you get this sense of the old and the new Alentejo.

What’s the big difference traveling as a guidebook writer?

You pay more attention to logistics, like how easy it is to reach that remote village without a car or how many sites you can realistically fit in one day. You want to be sure visitors get the most out of their trip by sharing as many tips as you can.

Was there extra pressure, writing about your home country?

Absolutely. I made it my mission to cover different sides of history and not just paint a pretty picture of my country. I’m biased, of course, which is why it was very important to speak with other locals and get their perspectives on a region or a specific topic.

What’s the strangest experience you had while researching?

Part of the job is trying to fit in as many experiences as you can before moving on to the next town. Sometimes you only have a few hours to meet someone, which makes for some unusual first encounters, like my 11am aguardente tasting at João’s Monte da Bica distillery.

Get the newest Portugal guidebook

Scotland's magical islands

In our latest edition of Scotland, Kay Gillespie talks of the Scottish islands and the Inner Hebrides being her greatest source of escapism: “Give me soft white sand, mountain shadows and windswept hair; the smoky warmth of Islay whisky and the rousing chill of swimming in the sea.”

Buy the Scotland guidebook

PSSST! As a thank you to our loyal newsletter subscribers, we're giving you 20% off your next purchase. Use the code BOOKSEMAIL20 and start building your personal Lonely Planet library.*

*Valid through 8/31/2023

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