Lonely Planet Authors on the Road: January Travel Dispatches from Around the World
Lonely Planet authors are always on the move, exploring destinations worldwide to keep our guidebooks current and reliable. Each month, Lonely Planet Magazine features their firsthand reports, offering fresh insights into the places they're visiting.
Here's what our expert authors shared this January:
West London's Historic Station Transformed into a Vibrant Supermarket
The terms 'supermarket' and 'attractive' rarely go together, but London's Union Market at Fulham Broadway underground station is changing that. The Grade II-listed 1905 ticket hall closed in 2003 when a modern station opened nearby, later becoming a chain restaurant. Now restored, it's reopened as a stylish food hall blending historic charm with modern appeal.
A sign reading 'To the trains' in classic London Underground font now directs shoppers to the wine section. With about 80% British produce emphasizing food miles and seasonality, it's more polished than a farmers' market—aiming to make grocery shopping enjoyable. As Union Market eyes expansion, it highlights the potential for supermarkets in London's underutilized heritage buildings.
- Rory Goulding, Editorial Assistant at Lonely Planet Magazine, based in London.
The Real Sound of Music: Von Trapp Family Villa Opens as Salzburg Hotel
Did you know the von Trapp family had ten children, not seven? I learned this at Villa Trapp, their former Salzburg home—now a hotel—inspiring The Sound of Music.
Beyond staying in Maria's actual bedroom, it's the only spot in Salzburg revealing the true story behind the film. Hotel manager Christopher notes the children disliked the movie's stern portrayal of their father: 'He was gentle, music-loving, and used his whistle playfully to call the family.'
Maria was a novice from Nonnberg Abbey sent as governess, but reality diverged: 'She was kind but temperamental,' says Christopher. 'She taught madrigals, rented rooms during the 1930s Depression to save them financially.' The Trapp Family Choir won the 1936 Salzburg Festival, but fled Nazi Austria in 1938—not over mountains to Switzerland, but to the US, touring successfully into the 1950s.
Guests swap these tales over polished breakfasts at Villa Trapp, the authentic home of The Sound of Music.
- Kerry Christiani, author of the new Lonely Planet Austria guide.
China Sets Rail Speed Record with Shanghai-Hangzhou Bullet Train
Boarding China's latest high-speed train at Shanghai's Hongqiao station amid excited crowds, passengers snapped photos as speeds hit 350 km/h (217 mph).
This line covers 201 km (125 miles) to lakeside Hangzhou in just 40 minutes, reaching 416 km/h (258 mph) in tests—the world's fastest operational train. China's network spans 7,400 km (4,600 miles), the longest globally, with plans for 40,000 km (25,000 miles) by 2020, potentially linking to Russia and Europe. Imagine traveling from London's King's Cross to Beijing in two days.
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