#culture

#culture

Wales has a beautiful roughness to it. Its beauty is not immediate and hard-won; visitors will have to trek, drive and withstand the rain in order to find it. But it's worth every step of the journey.

"We find beauty out of struggle and out of something broken," says the artist, emphasizing the importance of representing life in Brooklyn through the exhibit.

Austin embodies a unique blend of growth and culture, featuring modern skyscrapers, lush green spaces, and Michelin-recognized restaurants, all while maintaining its quirky personality.

Ghana is home to me - it's where I grew up, from the age of four until I returned to England for university - but its contrasts always surprise me. Below, waves crash violently into jutting rocks, but those rocks also form a protective circle, creating a pool calm enough for a child to play in.

Athens is a place you feel, not see. The beauty and soul of the city is laced into the way of life - the small moments and exchanges that happen daily - rather than in immaculately preserved monuments, museums and high streets like those of other European capitals.

The splendid art nouveau Les Brigittines is a Belgian culinary institution, where chef Dirk Myny has overseen the kitchen for 35 years. He daringly reinterprets classic Flemish recipes with dishes such as smoked eel mousse and succulent pork belly with a tart cherry ale vinaigrette.

"In the past, I've never really found a place that I would commit to staying for so long, and without hesitation, I was like, 'Where do I sign?' That's how much I love living here."

I recently went home for two weeks and I did not really tell anyone. I just went to see my family. I wanted to see how hard it would be for me to get in and out of the country. I wanted to feel what it felt like.I wanted to hold my children again. And I hadn't been home in over a year.

Companies often hire new leaders to spark transformation, yet without structural support, even the boldest individuals tend to revert to established norms.

Lake Lucerne offers some of Switzerland's most fantastic views. The glittering lake stretches for 44 square miles with sweet villages and the city of Lucerne on its shores. You can spend your trip hiking around the deep, famously blue water, experiencing the lake on a cruise, or staying at any number of fantastic hotels to take in the scenery. Whether you're an outdoorsy type or would rather sit lakeside with a cup of tea, Lake Lucerne is a good choice for first-timers in Switzerland.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. The stories that resonated most with our readers this year include reporting that led the political conversation, analysis that unraveled deep mysteries, and meditations on our evolving culture. Spend time with some of our most popular stories of the year.

The nervousness of democrats before this epistemic crisis is partly based on a widespread assumption that the idea of democracy depends on the value of truth. But even this assumption has a cost. Sadly, the democratic tendency to overemphasise the value of truth enters into conflict with other democratic demands. This leads us into contradictions that become fodder for the enemies of open societies.

Trust is the only thing that can cut through fear, complexity, and industry jargon. And as the market evolves, trust is increasingly the first thing first-time buyers are looking for. Today's borrower, especially the emerging homebuyer, is walking into the market with real concerns. Rising costs, confusing guidelines, cultural barriers, past financial trauma, and years of hearing that homeownership is not for them.

Remembering This week marked the 10-year anniversary of the devastating terror attacks at the Bataclan, Stade de France and city bars and restaurants that claimed 130 lives. The ceremony at the newly-opened garden of remembrance, close to Hotel de Ville, was very beautiful and moving - including Jesse Hughes, leader of the Eagles of Death Metal band, who were playing at the Bataclan that night, singing You'll Never Walk Alone with a choir made up of attack survivors and relatives.

Is Kim Kardashian's legal drama All's Fair really the worst TV show of all time? What are the best (and worst) vegan cheeses? And 20 years after they first hit the shelves, five-toed shoes are apparently having a big fashion moment. But what is it like to wear them in public? As the year draws to a close, Guardian Live invites you to a special event with columnist Tim Dowling, film and TV writer Stuart Heritage, and cook and author Meera Sodha.

There is nowhere in the world quite like Istanbul. Spread across two continents, Europe and Asia, it's a city of layers and contrasts, of ancient empires and modern energy. With historical sights like the Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace brushing up against buzzing bars and lively cafes, Ottoman-era mosques a short walk from contemporary art museums, and traditional carpet shops around the corner from trendy boutiques, Istanbul is a place where old and new coexist. And it never stops moving.

Berlin's history has been difficult, to say the least. And yet today, the German capital's intoxicating mix of grit, glamour, and anything-goes expression born from historical repression has made it one of the most dynamic cities on earth. Where else can you saunter through Prussian palaces, venture into Nazi-era bunkers, tour the world's longest outdoor art gallery, and lose yourself in Europe's most famous techno temple? (And that's just day one.) Yes, you'll come across remnants of the city's past

We tend to think that we experience the world as it is. We see and hear things, store them away as knowledge, and then take new facts into account. But that's not how our brains actually work. In reality, we filter out most of what we experience, so that we can focus on particular points of interest. In effect, we forget most things so we can zero in on what seems to be most important.

Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos, is a unique 2.9-square-mile island renowned for its rich history and culture, where adventure meets relaxation in a tranquil setting.