Lonely Planet's best FREE tourist attractions around the world 

While most of the obvious tourist landmarks - the Statue of Liberty, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Taj Mahal - charge entry fees, many of the lesser-known hidden gems around the corner don't. Lonely Planet is releasing on Tuesday a veritable travel bible of spots around the world where you can have great experiences on a shoestring, titled The Best Things in Life are Free. MailOnline Travel rounds up 15 of the most intriguing suggestions. Clockwise from top left - Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, Chateau de Versailles in Paris, Sydney Harbour National Park and Pig Island in the Bahamas. Inset is Singapore's Gardens by the Bay.

Live like a superstar with your family and friends in Jamaica

Believe it or not Jamaica can be an affordable family holiday destination. Overlooked for years, the Caribbean gem is finally making a comeback with more kick than a bottle of Appleton Estate rum, discovers MailOnline Travel's Tara Brady. It boasts luxury beach clubs and affordable stays for large groups of travellers including Villa Windward (bottom right) in Montego Bay and Amanoka Villa (top right, top left and inset) in Discovery Bay. Tara also spent an afternoon at the Half Moon resort (bottom left) - a favourite with the royals.

Three payment points have been placed on the sandstone Grade I-listed walls in Chester this week on a trial basis. Visitors are asked to donate a minimum of £2 but can also pay more.

The number of nights foreign tourists spent in French hotels in July fell 10 per cent compared to last year as visitors were deterred by the recent terror attacks in the country.

Travel blogger reveals what it’s really like to be a tourist in North Korea

North Korea is often seen as one of the most mysterious places in the world to visit as it's so closed off to the outside world. But a new video has revealed what it's really like to be a tourist in the country. The fascinating footage and narrative revealed that as a holidaymaker, you're never allowed to travel around on your own and you always have to ask your tour guide for permission before photographing anything.

A new infographic has revealed some of the sayings you might hear in the UK and what they actually mean. In the case of weather, 'lovely' can actually mean 'really awful'.

The Russell Hotel in Sydney's The Rocks has become an unlikely tourist destination because it featured in a Japanese anime television show, with fans recreating scenes and booking it out.

Vintage photographs of Europe's landmarks reveal how travel has changed

These nostalgic images, captured towards the end of the 19th century, show some of Europe's best known sights, including the Eiffel Tower (inset) in Paris and the Colosseum (bottom left) in Rome. The photographs were originally taken in black and white but have since had colour restored to them with the help of photochrom technology. They bring into focus how little and how much has changed over the course of 100 years.

Mail on Sunday's Pippa Bailey visited Ascona, a Swiss town on the Italian border. There, she visited the region's Unesco-listed castles and enjoyed a tasting of the local wines.

Mail on Sunday's Travel Editor Frank Barrett travelled from London to Beijing in first class after finding a bargain fare. As well as space and comfort, there was also food from a 12-page menu.

Every dog has its holiday... How do you make two moody, timid pets smile? Let them loose

Comedian Jane Bussmann (main) took her dogs Homer (inset right) and Thistle (inset left) on a holiday to the Forest of Dean. There, they explored the nature trails and made friends with fellow canine holidaymakers. The dogs loved the forest while Jane enjoyed the hot tub and the spectacular views.

Mail on Sunday's Wendy Gomersall visits North Cyprus on a birdwatching tour and discovers it's less touristy and less expensive than the south. There, she spotted more than 60 species in a day.

Mail on Sunday's Elinor Goodman travelled to rural Ethiopia for a friend's birthday. There she attended the biggest festival of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and saw Gelada monkeys.

Holiday like an A-Lister in these (relatively) affordable mansions

TripAdvisor has a number of luxury mansions available for rent, including a 9-bed villa in Phuket, a Bali retreat and a castle in California. Here, MailOnline Travel rounds up the best. Pictured from top left: A villa in Praiano, Italy, a lodge in Colorado, a castle in Orange County and a villa in Thailand.

Thurlestone Hotel in Devon hasn't changed much in the last few decades. The owners of the hotel also own the village pub, which Pippa Middleton recently visited before a wedding.

If you're lucky enough to be going to the games, or are tempted by what you see on TV, bountiful beaches, fascinating favelas and wonderful people-watching in Rio await.

London's Wellesley hotel launches superyacht in the Mediterranean

The Art Deco-styled yacht (inset) - launched by The Wellesley, a five-star boutique hotel in Knightsbridge, London - features 1920's styling, a crew member for every guest and extravagant amenities. Guests can go for a dip in a spill pool on the sun deck (top left) or catch up over afternoon tea in the main saloon (top right). Every suite on board has a marble bathroom (bottom right), while the owner's suite (bottom left) has panoramic sea views and comforts enjoyed only by multi-millionaires or billionaires.

The collection, designed by a Canada-based company, comprises of a T-shirt, underwear and socks all made from merino wool. The designers wore the gear for 46 days in a row.

W Hotel in Washington DC has a special inauguration package. For $500k, guests host a party on the rooftop, which has views of the White House, and they get three nights in a top suite, plus spa treatments.

There's a host of openings around the UK, including a water park in Scarborough and upgraded sleeper services to Scotland. Or you can venture further afield to budget destinations in Asia.

A French travel company has released its list of the 20 most expensive tourist resorts in Europe - based on August hotel prices - and Playa d'en Bossa topped the list at £215 a night.

Italian castle with 80 rooms on sale for the first time for £26m

Castel Valer (left), in Italy's Dolomites mountain range, could change hands for the first time in 650 years when it is auctioned without a reserve price in September. The stunning property features a number of magnificnet lounges (top right) and dining rooms (bottom right), and is being marketed as a fantastic private home or tourist attraction. It was built on the site of Roman ruins from 1200 to 1700 and has a number of modern upgrades, including a swimming pool, electric generator and a water and waste pipeline to the nearest village.

In a new thread on the US-based website Reddit, anonymous travellers have shared their worst experiences - from finding used condoms under the covers to hearing gunshots in the hall.

Channel your inner royalty with a visit to the stunning Corinthia Hotel Budapest

Marble floors, sweeping staircases and gilded ceilings - Corinthia Hotel Budapest is every bit as dazzling as it was in its 19th century heyday as the Grand Hotel Royal, complete with a stunning ballroom and Art-Deco spa (top left). With helpful staff rushing to meet your every need, any guest here can leave their woes at the door as they take a step back in time into an era of elegance and sophistication and steep themselves in luxury - from the gold and red regal colour scheme to the incredible restaurants serving both international and Hungarian food fit for a King.

They're in Rio to co-host NBC's late-night Olympics coverage. But Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima are clearly still finding time for fun - as their Instagram posts showed, this week.

Some travellers were more than a little surprised by their first encounter with China. Their experiences involved everything from becoming celebrities to seeing children walking around without diapers.

Fascinating 1940s photos of Rio reveal a quainter side to the Olympic city

As the host city of the 2016 Olympics, Rio has spent the last few years ploughing millions into infrastructure to show the world that it is a modern force to be reckoned with, with shiny new buildings and first-class stadiums. The busy cosmopolitan capital is a world away from its image in the mid 20th century, as shown in these fascinating pictures by American photographer Genevieve Naylor, who was sent to capture the spirit of the city in 1940. The AP photographer was tasked with capturing propaganda-style images to help conjure support in South America for the Allied forces during World War Two, but the style and culture of the capital caught Naylor's eye instead.

The jet, which had flown from Paris in France, smashed through barriers before coming to rest in front of stunned motorists driving past Bergamo Airport in the country's north.

A clumsy giraffe was photographed taking a tumble in front of some tourists after losing its balance when majestically galloping down a road in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

The triangular house perched on a precipice that looks like it'll tumble over the edge

If you're looking for an unique house offering spectacular views then this triangular creation could be your ideal match. The futuristic Triangle Cliff House (main and top inset) is located on the edge of a nail-biting precipice and features a teepee-style roof with large windows that offer heart-stopping views of the steep drop. It was imagined by Germany-based architect Matthias Arndt as part of his firm's bi-monthly design challenge. There are three floors featuring a double bedroom and open-plan kitchen and lounge area (bottom inset).

A grateful woman thanked sanitary workers in Shanghai after they retrieved her phone on July 30. 15 workers rummaged through five tonnes of rubbish with their hands to find the device.

In Point Panics, Oahu Hawaii, Kaneali'i Wilcox forsakes the usual equipment to successfully stay on the surface until reaching the shore. He spins around to stop himself from sinking.

The luxury hotels in Rio the rich will be flocking to for the 2016 Olympics

The Rio Olympics kicks off today, with all eyes on Brazil's capital. Long seen as a global holiday spot, it has a long list of five star hotels, including a palace, a cliff-side retreat and modern mansion. Pictured clockwise from top left: The pool at the Hilton Barra, the grounds of the Royal Tulip, the lounge at La Suite by Dussol and the pool at the Fasano hotel. Inset: The Copacabana Palace.

Brits shared their holiday pics with a psychologist, who revealed the meaning of their photos. For example, people who pose next to novelty landmarks like the Tower of Pisa think they are witty.

New hotel in Transylvania is a stunning fairy tale castle with 10 rooms

The 'Clay Castle' (pictured) is nestled at the heart of the Fagaras Mountains in Romania, in a region known as the Valley of the Fairies. It was built by singer couple Razran and Gabriela Vasile using only natural, organic materials - including clay, straw, wood and sand. While still not open to guests yet, the structure's Facebook page has amassed more than 26,000 likes, and tourists are already flocking to the area to see it from the outside.

Cabin crew around the world have been telling an industry Facebook forum about the bizarre and difficult interview questions that they were asked, including whether they were scared of heights.

Only 50 per cent of British drivers say they check driving rules and regulations before they leave for Europe and one in ten believe the driving laws are the same in every country.

Hawaii thrill seekers ride down secret 35ft waterslide

The 35ft water slide (left) in the Waipo Valley is actually a cement irrigation pipe, which locals trek through jungle and mountain for hours to reach. There is also a makeshift lazy river in the area. Thrill-seekers who visit the slide have been sharing their journeys on social media.

The unusual design from Japan is made from a fine mosquito net that covers every inch of your body. It can also be sprayed with insect repellent to increase protection.

Tourists have shared their most bizarre encounters while visiting America. A general lack of knowledge about other countries shocked many visitors, as did the huge food portions and easy access to guns.

A dusty week driving across the stunning Sonoran Desert in Arizona

MailOnline Travel's James Bragg hired a white Mustang (bottom right) and drove across Arizona with stops along the way that included a natural water chute, a hot-air balloon ride (bottom left) and fat-tyre biking. He also gazed upon the incredible 'Elephant's Feet' rock formations in Navajo Nation (inset), viewed the amazing Painted Desert (top right) and stopped by at the Grand Canyon for the obligatory 'leap of death' picture (top left).

The outbreak involves a number of luxury hotel complexes in the Riviera Maya resort, including the Catalonia Riviera Maya Resort and Spa and the Royalton Riviera Cancun (pictured) in Mexico.

The 17-year-old, from Blackburn, was taken to wasteland and raped after being picked up from the popular Playa de las Americas resort in the south of Tenerife.

Fancy a life on Mars? Visit the campsite in the desert

If you've ever fantasised about being settler on an alien planet then artist Andrea Zittel's futuristic looking campsite in the Californian desert might be ideal for your next holiday.The unusual accommodation, situated in the wilds of Joshua Tree, comprises a selection of metallic pods that are nestled amidst the rocks. Zittel's inspiration came from the Mojave Desert, which Nasa used to represent Mars while running tests on extraterrestrial habitats.

A substantial 59 per cent of Brits questioned by a booking site would either go on a nudist holiday, sunbathe naked or visit a nudist beach.

Highways England has released brain-twisting footage of the roundabout, which will transform the A19 and the A1058 Coast Road. Planners hope the new highway will help ease congestion.

Black Tomato now provides drones piloted by James Bond cameramen to capture your trip

Luxury travel agent Black Tomato has just launched a new service dubbed 'Drone the World', which sends guests away with Hollywood cameramen to film their trip from above, for £4,000 plus per person. One family celebrating a big birthday had cameraman Tim Browning join them, who has worked both on Star Wars and James Bond movies, on a trip to Myanmar's Mergui Archipelago in a private junk ship (pictured).

Plagued by a 'fear of food overseas' over a third of British holidaymakers admit to packing a supply of home comforts when they go abroad, according to a new study.

A survey has revealed 'are we there yet?' will be asked three million times on British car journeys this summer. 'I need the toilet’ will be asked two million times and £42 spent per trip on keeping kids quiet.

Stunning black-and-white photos capture the beauty of America's greatest landscapes

French photographer Laurent Baheux snapped these high contrast images of rugged mountains, deep canyons and winding rivers during his travels through the American West. He retraced the steps of famed photographer Ansel Adams and snapped photos of beauty spots including the Grand Canyon (top), Yellowstone's Upper Falls (bottom right) and Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, which is home to hundreds of bison (bottom left). Baheux's photos appear in a new book of landscape portraits called America.

Passengers on a Qantas flight to Dubai that was forced to turn back to Sydney due to an on-board emergency an hour after taking off will fly out again on Thursday morning.

The breathtaking moment an adult humpback whale waved 'hello' at a couple freediving off the northern end of the Central Coast has been captured on GoPro.

Rural Devon in the 1970s and 80s shown in black and white photos

Pictures of north Devon taken by photographer James Ravilious between 1972 and 1989 are available online for the first time thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The photos are being housed at Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter where they will be cleaned, numbered and uploaded to a website so members of the public can add their own recollections of the scenes.

This is the incredible moment the tables turned for a hungry lion who was forced to run for his life when he was chased by a herd of buffalo at the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.

Inside New York's The Bowery Hotel where Zayn and Gigi sealed their romance

MailOnline Travel's Rebecca Seales followed the trail of A-listers to New York's glorious Bowery Hotel, where Zayn Malik, ex-One Direction member adored by millions, fell for his supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid (inset). Kristen Stewart loves the Bowery, and the list of past guests reads like an Oscars party invite list. So just what do the stars find waiting behind those giant loft-style windows? We step inside to investigate.

MailOnline Travel's Sadie Whitelocks headed to the Swedish countryside in the run-up to the country’s annual midsummer festivities to explore some of the region’s most stunning manor houses.

Services between London and the East Midlands were cancelled or delayed after tonnes of rubble tumbled on onto the tracks in Barrow upon Soar, a village in Leicestershire.

Standing at 531ft tall on Brighton's seafront, the British Airways i360 viewing tower affords views of up to 26 miles of the surrounding south coast and will open its doors to visitors this week.

A Hawaiian company developed the H2O Ninja Mask, which has a full face mask instead of the traditional two-piece set-up, and allows the wearer to breathe under water like they would on land.

The Cebu Pacific cabin crew member suffered red marks on the side of her face and her neck when she was allegedly assaulted by a female passenger on a flight in the Philippines.

This decades-old Taiwanese tradition - in which bamboo sticks tipped with flammable sulphurous soil are lit to attract sardines - now only exists in the Jinshan District, north of Taipei.

Video shows a giant wave engulfs man as he poses on rocks

With his back to the sea and posing for the camera (pictured left), this man is given a shock when he is hit by a huge wave (centre). It is not known where the video was filmed, but the men speak Serbian in the clip. We see the man clambering up the rocks, soaking wet, as people watching laugh out loud. As he reaches higher ground he takes the bag from around his neck and tips the water out of it (right).

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