Have You Met Eugene, Fodor’s New AI Travel Assistant?
Have You Met Eugene, Fodor’s New AI Travel Assistant?
https://www.fodors.com/news/news/have-you-met-eugene-fodors-new-ai-travel-assistant
If you haven't met Eugene, we'd like to introduce you to him.
In 1936, our founder, Eugene Fodor, published On the Continent, a groundbreaking guidebook built on a simple but powerful idea: The best travel advice doesn’t try to tell you everything–it only tells you what’s worth knowing.
Ninety years later, we’re carrying that idea forward in an entirely new form.
Eugene is built exclusively from Fodor’s guidebooks and the expert travel coverage here on Fodor’s.com. His recommendations are rooted in the firsthand experience of our writers and editors: people who visit the hotels, eat at the restaurants, explore the neighborhoods, and decide what deserves a place in our guides. It’s human-backed and vetted AI.
That makes Eugene fundamentally different from a generic AI travel planner. He doesn’t trawl the entire internet and summarize the loudest opinions or overwhelm you with every possible hotel, restaurant, or attraction. He doesn’t even pretend that every destination is perfect for every traveler.
1. Eugene Fodor, the founder of Fodor’s Travel.
2. Eugene, Fodor’s AI travel assistant.Eugene has an opinion, and it’s backed by Fodor’s 90 years of expertise. And when Fodor’s does not have enough expertise to offer a meaningful answer, Eugene will say so. Because trustworthy advice sometimes means admitting what you do not know.
Ask him where to spend a long weekend, which neighborhood best fits your travel style, whether a famous attraction is worth the crowds, or where to book a memorable dinner.
Tell him what you enjoy, what you avoid, how you like to travel, and what you want to spend. He’ll help narrow the possibilities to the places Fodor’s genuinely recommends for you. He will not give you an endless list of options–he will help you choose what’s best for you.
Think of Eugene as a Fodor’s editor you can actually talk to. He’s experienced, honest, and very opinionated. Start chatting with Eugene now.
The World’s Most Peaceful Countries Have Been Revealed — and the U.S. Is Near the Bottom
Mumemories/Dreamstime
https://www.fodors.com/news/news/the-worlds-most-peaceful-countries-have-been-revealed-and-the-u-s-is-near-the-bottom
The Global Peace Index has ranked the world’s most peaceful countries for 2026. See which nations made the top 10, where the U.S. landed, and why global peace is at its lowest level in nearly two decades.
The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) releases its Global Peace Index each year, ranking the globe’s most peaceful countries using a group of 23 indicators. The lowest-scoring countries are ranked at the top of the list, and this year Iceland takes the top spot as the globe’s most peaceful nation—a position it has held for the last 19 consecutive years.
The metrics include items such as perceptions of criminality, police rate, homicide rate, incarceration rate, access to small arms, violent demonstrations, violent crime, political instability, number of deaths from conflict, weapons stockpiles, and overall safety and security, among others.
The 2026 report also found that global peace was at its lowest level since the index was introduced in 2007, and the conditions that precede conflict were the worst since the Second World War. Ninety-nine countries on the list experienced deterioration in peacefulness in the past year, another high for the index. The number of active, state-based conflicts reached 61.
Rounding out the top ten on the list after Iceland were New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland, and Japan.
The least peaceful countries on the index included Russia (ranked last), followed by Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Israel, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Mali.
In North America, Canada (14th overall) and Costa Rica (62nd) were named the most peaceful, while the United States (134th) and Mexico (139th) were similarly ranked. Only Haiti (142nd) ranked lower, meaning the U.S. was the third-least peaceful country in North America. The IEP noted that the U.S. dropped four percentage points in 2026, pushing it to its lowest ranking since the index was created.
Mexico’s results were also broken out by state, with Yucatán, Chiapas, Tlaxcala, Durango, and Campeche topping the list. Colima, Sinaloa, and Guanajuato ranked the least peaceful.
The most peaceful countries in South America included Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In Africa, Namibia, Madagascar, Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, and Morocco were ranked the most peaceful. Central Asia was also a bright spot for peace, with Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Mongolia all ranking in the upper tiers.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Vietnam, Laos, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Bhutan, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and Australia rounded out the most peaceful countries, including top-ranked New Zealand.
The IEP ranks 163 states and territories on its list, encompassing some 99.7% of the global population. The index omits many smaller states without or with limited armed forces, including Monaco, San Remo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Andorra, Cabo Verde, The Seychelles, The Maldives, and Vatican City. Many sovereign island nations in Oceania and the Caribbean are also omitted from the index.
The IEP noted that Europe was the most peaceful region on the index, with seven of the ten most peaceful countries represented, but also noted that scores on the continent dropped because its long-term trend of demilitarization has dropped significantly since 2022.
IEP is a global think tank headquartered in Sydney, Australia, with branch offices in New York, The Hague, Harare, and Mexico City. It’s worth noting that the IEP reviews countries based on overall participation and potential for armed conflict, not threats or concerns specific to travelers. For travel-specific concerns, travelers should still consult the advice of consular offices in their home country before traveling or living internationally.
The full index and an interactive map on the Global Peace Index and other indices produced by IEP are available on their website.
One of Europe’s Strangest Border Crossings Is Finally Gone
Michal Mrozek on Unsplash
https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/experiences/news/spain-and-gibraltar-eliminate-border-checks-after-historic-brexit-deal
Spain and Gibraltar have ended formal land border controls after a landmark post-Brexit agreement, making travel between the British territory and Spain easier than ever.
After more than 300 years, the land border between British territory and Spain is no more.
Border controls between Spain and the tiny British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar have been in place since control of the peninsula was captured by the British Navy in 1704, but those controls were removed on Wednesday as a result of a post-Brexit negotiation between the British and Spanish governments, the Gibraltarian government, and the European Union.
While the territory will remain British, with a fondness for red letter boxes and telephone booths, there are no longer border checks for those traveling between Gibraltar and Spain. The territory now shares joint control with Spain over its borders at the port and airport.
Travelers will have their documents checked by both Gibraltarian and Spanish authorities, with Spanish officials having final say over entry to the territory. Spanish immigration officials will also have veto power over grants of residency in Gibraltar because the status allows unfettered access to Spanish territory—in short, access to Gibraltar is now access to Spain and Europe’s Schengen Area.
Before the change, Britain’s The Independent exalted, “When the land border disappears, it will be the most important change for a British Overseas Territory since Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.”
Gibraltar has nearly 40,000 residents, most of whom are British citizens. Spain has long disputed British sovereignty over the territory, saying that the 1713 treaty, in which Spain ceded the peninsula to Britain, was made under duress. Spain diplomatically asserts its claim periodically, but the United Kingdom maintains the position that the vast majority of Gibraltarians have a right to self-determination and prefer to remain a British Overseas Territory. The United Nations has designated the peninsula as a Non-Self-Governing Territory.
Although there are no longer border controls with Spain, Gibraltar residents are still subject to the same stay and employment limits in Spain. Some 15,000 Spanish citizens maintain residence in Spain, but commute to Gibraltar to work. The island has a robust tourism industry and is a popular cruise port, for the historic nature of the territory and its iconic rock, as well as the Barbary macaques—Europe’s last remaining wild monkeys.
In preparation for the removal of the border controls, the territory’s government seemed keen to exert symbols of Britishness. Red phone booths—an iconic British symbol—have been newly imported and dotted around the territory, and a new fleet of London-style black cabs has also arrived, although—as in Spain—they’ll drive on the right.
Gibraltar was the last remaining land border shared between British territory and another country. Land borders between Cyprus and the British bases on the island are similarly unstaffed, and the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been free of controls since 2005. All remaining British territories are islands without land borders.
The Rock of Gibraltar, a landmark limestone promontory near the narrowest portion of the eponymous strait between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, and its neighboring natural harbor, have been a strategic outpost since the Middle Ages. Control of the area allowed the Royal Navy significant ability to monitor and protect British shipping to the Mediterranean and onward to the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean.
Gibraltar has a single-runway airport with flights available from U.K. airports on British Airways or EasyJet. The airport sits near the border and is one of the only airports in the world where pedestrians can cross the runway between flights. A tunnel underneath the airport for vehicular traffic was completed in 2023.
Book This 5-Night Iceland Trip With Flights and Tours for Just $899
Basiczto/iStock
https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/iceland/reykjavik/experiences/news/899-iceland-vacation-package-with-flights-tours
Score five nights in Iceland with round-trip airfare and three major sightseeing excursions starting at just $899 when you book by July 22.
Iceland’s dramatic landscapes are calling, and they have rarely been this affordable to explore. Right now, you can lock in a spectacular five-night vacation package—complete with flights, accommodations, and an itinerary packed with natural wonders—starting at an unbelievable $899 per person. Sourced via Travelzoo, this deal saves you up to $653 compared to booking similar trips on your own. But you have to act fast: this exclusive offer vanishes on July 22.
The Deal Details
What makes this package truly exceptional is how much of the heavy lifting is already done for you. The base price covers round-trip airfare from the U.S. to Reykjavík and five nights at the ODDSSON Midtown Hotel, complete with daily breakfast to fuel your adventures. (The ODDSSON is a Fodor’s Choice-recommended hotel that looks like a Wes Anderson movie.) You also get an incredible lineup of included excursions: a Northern Lights boat tour, a full-day Golden Circle tour, a sweeping South Coast Wonders tour, and admission to the massive Whales of Iceland Museum.
Travel during the prime window to see the aurora borealis, with select departure dates available from November through February. (Trips in October and March through April are also currently on sale. Pricing depends on your departure city:
$899: Boston, New York
$999: Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, D.C.
$1,099: Seattle
$1,299: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Tampa
reykBoyloso / Shutterstock
How to Spend Your Time in Iceland
Once you arrive, check in and take it slow. Reykjavík is wonderfully compact and walkable; spend your first day exploring the harbor area, Hafnarfjörður, local cafés, and vibrant street art, capping it off with an incredible local grilled fish dinner. The next day, while you are fresh, your included Golden Circle tour hits Iceland’s most famous trifecta: Þingvellir National Park, the explosive Geysir geothermal area, and the majestic Gullfoss—the “Golden Waterfall.”
The adventure continues on your South Coast Wonders tour, a long but unforgettable journey rolling past rugged lava fields to the iconic black-sand beaches near Vík. Keep your camera ready for Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, two towering waterfalls that demand to be photographed from every angle. Back in the city, check out the Whales of Iceland Museum—a must-do for marine-life fans that even the locals love, leaving your afternoon free to hunt for souvenirs in Hveragerði or hop between Laugavegur Street cafés. In the evening, bundle up for those biting North Atlantic winds and hit the water to chase the Northern Lights by boat.
Want to customize your stay? Make the most of your time in Iceland by upgrading to a four-star Reykjavík hotel, extending your trip to six or seven nights, or adding a roundtrip FlyBus transfer. Adding the FlyBus makes it incredibly easy to wrap up your trip with a soak in the famous mineral-blue waters of the Blue Lagoon near Grindavík—floating peacefully in the geothermal water is the best way to let travel knots dissolve before heading to the airport.
Things to Know
Do not wait to secure these savings; this vacation must be booked by July 22. Note that prices may initially appear higher on the booking page until you select the valid promotional dates on the calendar. Prices are per person, based on two travelers sharing a room, and remarkably include air and hotel taxes as well as the resort fee. Prices are subject to airfare fluctuation and availability, and restrictions may apply. Once booked, this deal is nonrefundable. Only Travelzoo members can purchase this deal, but membership is $50 annually or just $1 for a 30-day trial.
Some or all of this article was crafted with help from AI. All deal content comes from Travelzoo, and all destination content comes from Fodor’s Travel. An editor reviewed and vetted this article before publishing.
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