a tourist guide of love

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“A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is as harmless as its blandly forgettable title would suggest. It’s not quite a Movie to Fold Laundry To, because the scenery is quite lovely, so you’ll actually want to pay attention. But it is a pleasant escape if you’re seeking lazy Saturday afternoon viewing.

Rachael Leigh Cook brings her perky rom-com presence to this made-for-Netflix movie, which checks all the boxes you’d expect from such a slick and glossy example of the genre. Slapstick comedy, fish-out-of-water gags, wacky supporting characters, copious shopping montages, a love triangle, a secret to be revealed and a last-minute dash to say “I love you”—they’re all there, but this time they’re set against the backdrop of present-day Vietnam, which gives “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” an unusual feeling of novelty.

Director Steven K. Tsuchida , a TV veteran, was also behind 2021’s “ Resort to Love ,” another Netflix romantic comedy set in a picturesque vacation destination. This is pure formula, but the leads have such a sweet chemistry with each other, and the locations are so enticing, that you may as well just surrender.

Cook stars as Amanda Riley, an uptight, Los Angeles-based travel agent living a safe and predictable existence with her boring accountant boyfriend, John ( Ben Feldman ). Amanda’s boss (and apparently only friend), Mona ( Missi Pyle ), insists John is going to propose to her. Instead, he tells her he’s taking a job in Ohio and putting their relationship on hold. (Julia Shiplett makes the most of a brief supporting role as Amanda’s unimpressed manicurist.)

Stunned, Amanda agrees to Mona’s suggestion that she travel to Vietnam undercover to scope out a local tour company with the possibility of her firm buying it. This is also her chance to eat-pray-love her way out of heartache. Plus, she’ll be there for the annual Tet celebration, which just happens to be all about renewal. Would any of this actually happen in real life? No. Would a spoiled hotel heiress actually hit her head on a tree at a ski resort, suffer amnesia and fall for the hunky, widowed dad who owns a charming bed and breakfast? Probably not. We don’t watch these kinds of movies for realism.

And so Type-A Amanda becomes part of a tour group led by the handsome and soulful Sinh ( Scott Ly ) and his effervescent cousin, Anh (Quinn Truc Tran). Screenwriter Eirene Tran Donohue tries somewhat to flesh out the motley assemblage of fellow travelers, but she saddles them with awkward small talk, and no one is terribly interesting. The inordinately prepared Amanda insists on adhering to the itinerary because she wants to get the most out of her covert mission, but the easygoing Sinh takes a more spontaneous approach which—spoiler!—Amanda eventually learns to enjoy. Sinh also happens to have just the right profound thing to say for every occasion, which speaks to the flux in which Amanda finds herself. (Example: “A tourist wants to escape life. A traveler wants to experience it.”) Again, these are familiar types, but Cook’s likability softens her character’s pushy, impatient traits, and the charismatic Ly’s understated delivery makes Sinh’s platitudes less cheesy than they might sound.

Working with cinematographer Jon Keng and featuring plenty of shimmering aerial shots, Tsuchida makes every stop along the way seem vibrant and appealing, from the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City to the beaches of Da Nang to the verdant hills of Sinh’s home village. “Doing nothing feels very weird,” Amanda admits while lounging under an umbrella by the sea, and truer words were never spoken.

“A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is essentially a travelogue with a plot, but you might actually find yourself caring about whether these two attractive-but-extremely-different people end up falling for each other in the end.

On Netflix now.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

A Tourist's Guide to Love (2023)

Rachael Leigh Cook as Amanda Riley

Scott Ly as Sinh Thach

Missi Pyle as Mona

Ben Feldman as John

Glynn Sweet as Brian Conway

Alexa Povah as Maya Conway

Jacqueline Correa as Sam Gonville

Nondumiso Tembe as Dom Fisher

Thanh Trúc as Anh

• Steven K. Tsuchida
• Eirene Donohue

Cinematographer

• Lauren Connelly
• Jina Hyojin An
• Shirley Song

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A Tourist's Guide to Love

Where to watch.

Watch A Tourist's Guide to Love with a subscription on Netflix.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Steven K. Tsuchida

Rachael Leigh Cook

Amanda Riley

Ben Feldman

Andrew Barth Feldman

More Like This

Critics reviews.

‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’ Review: Rachael Leigh Cook Gets a Heart-Stamped Passport in a Conventional but Charming Rom-Com

A spontaneous trip to Vietnam offers a world of wonder and possibilities for a workaholic woman and her tender-hearted tour guide in this cute Netflix release.

By Courtney Howard

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Director Steven K. Tsuchida and screenwriter Eirene Tran Donohue take care to incorporate the sights and sounds of Vietnam into the narrative, and the film is most buoyant when capturing the country’s beauty. Interstitial montages are crafted with prospective explorers in mind, featuring scenery saturated with color and warm light. From Amanda’s compact car surrounded by scooters (a baptism by traffic) in Ho Chi Minh City to more intimate locations like Sinh’s family village in Thon Chang, elegantly constructed sequences show our heroine swept away, immersed lush landscapes and cultural traditions.

The film doesn’t allot much time to the supporting players on tour with Amanda, but they’re meaningfully used. A subplot in which Sam (Jacqueline Correa), her wife Dom (Nondumiso Tembe) and their teen daughter Robin (Morgan Dudley) rekindle their familial bond counters the heteronormativity of the central romance. While long-time marrieds/first-time honeymooners Brian (Glynn Sweet) and Maya (Alexa Povah) recede into the background, the arc of awkward college-bound vlogger Alex (Andrew Barth Feldman) makes a big impact in a short time. Perhaps it’s an idealized portrait, but it’s refreshing to see tourists not depicted as bumbling buffoons, disturbing landmarks or mocking rituals for comic purposes.

There’s a light feminist streak here, as both Amanda and Sinh save each other from despair at various points, while a callback that sees Amanda navigating chaotic city traffic as a pedestrian — thus showcasing her evolving confidence — is well-handled. However, the female characters’ relationships with each other are woeful. From Amanda’s nail technician to Sinh’s grandma, their primary topic of conversation usually revolves around a man. It also doesn’t help that Amanda spends very little time working on herself before jumping into another romance. Her goal should be independence, not codependence.

That said, Cook and Ly share sparkling repartee, best glimpsed in their walk-and-talks and seated chats. Their chemistry builds from well-earned, character-building moments, as they bonding over the Hoi An lanterns they float on the river, or detour to My Son Sanctuary. Cook makes Amanda an easy heroine to root for, suffused with strength, humor and vulnerability, while Ly radiates wit and tenderness, especially when digging into Sinh’s deeper layers. He also embraces the obligatory beefcake shot with verve, emerging from the ocean during their day at the beach in a gender-flipped play on Ursula Andress’ famous entrance in “Dr. No.”

Reviewed online, April 18, 2023. Running time: 94 MIN.

• Production: A Netflix release of a Muse Entertainment, Head First, Ben’s Sister Production. Producers: Rachael Leigh Cook, Joel S. Rice. Executive producers: Jim Head, Lydia Storie, Steven K. Tsuchida.
• Crew: Director: Steven K. Tsuchida. Screenplay: Eirene Tran Donohue Camera: Jon Keng. Editor: Lauren Connelly. Music: Jina Hyojin An, Shirley Song.
• With: Rachael Leigh Cook, Scott Ly, Ben Feldman, Missi Pyle, Quinn Trúc Trán, Glynn Sweet, Alexa Povah, Jacqueline Correa, Nondumiso Tembe, Morgan Dudley, Andrew Barth Feldman.

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A Tourist’s Guide to Love review – a mindful and quietly charming romance film

This review of the Netflix film A Tourist’s Guide to Love does not contain spoilers.

You may discount A Tourist’s Guide to Love , and no one would blame you .  However, this new Netflix romance film has the ability to coax the approval out of you with the best of intentions, even if the enjoyment comes in spasmodic, charismatic bursts.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love review and plot summary

Rachel Leigh Cook of She’s All That and Josie and the Pussycats plays Amanda, a travel executive in Los Angeles. She is tasked with finding someone to vet a family-owned Vietnamese travel company called Saigon Silver Star to add to her employer’s portfolio. However, after her boyfriend, John ( Ben Feldman ), puts their relationship on hold after taking a job in Ohio, she takes the assignment herself.

The next day, Amanda is on a flight to Vietnam undercover. She has a list of items to cross off before reporting to her boss, Mona ( Galaxy Quest’s Missi Pyle ). When Amanda arrives, her bag is lost, but she is helped by Sinh ( Scott Ly ), the attractive nephew of the Saigon Silver Star owner. The strict and disciplined workaholic Amanda finds herself overcome by the region’s beauty. Also, under the spell of the unconventional and mindful Sinh, who knows nothing but living in the moment.

As romantic dramedies go, veteran television director Steven K. Tsuchida ( On My Block ) and writer Eirene Donohue tone down any obnoxious humor for atmosphere and an enjoyable quiet charm. Loosely based on the real-life experiences of Donohue, she puts forth a sense of love and respect for the setting. You won’t see the city of Vancouver turned into Vietnam here. The movie was shot in various locations around Vietnam, like multiple cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and others. So, you feel a sense of authenticity that takes you if not to another time then at least another place.

READ: Best Rom-Coms on Netflix in 2023

The movie has the usual Eat Pray Love tropes. Why no woman ever questions if a guy like Sinh uses the sites, sounds, and shirtless beach tours as a way to romance women is always beyond me. Or why everyone in these genre films has to end with a declaration of love other than a vacation romance? And when that ex-relationship travels halfway around the world to win you back, why not just kick them to the curb where they belong? However, Cook and Ly have some genuine chemistry, but it’s refreshing because they are apprehensive, even awkward, while building a rapport. That type of chance meeting that’s more realistic than a cinematic one.

A Tourist Guide to Love has obvious faults. For instance, a few too many music montages that you always see in the genre. The plot ignores just obvious human nature. There are some who would have an issue with getting what you paid for and not wanting an off-the-beaten-path experience. I mean, paying good money to go and stay at the tour guide’s grandmother’s house seems like a Yelp disaster. Still, this leads to some heartwarming moments.

Is A Tourist’s Guide to Love good or bad?

A Tourist’s Guide to Love is a slightly above-average streaming affair that was made for fans of the genre but succeeds because of its quiet charm.

Is A Tourist’s Guide to Love worth watching?

A Toursist’s Guide to Love is a flawed but quietly charming romance film that’s strictly for fans of the genre and a diversion for others. At the very least, you will enjoy the chemistry between Cook and Ly and its mindful nature.

What did you think of  A Tourist’s Guide to Love? Comment below.

You can watch this film with a subscription to Netflix.

Additional reading:

• A Tourist’s Guide to Love Ending Explained
• Where was A Tourist’s Guide to Love Filmed?
• 10 Movies like Beautiful Disaster you must watch
• Best Comedy Movies on Netflix in 2023
• Best Movies on Netflix in 2023

Article by Marc Miller

Marc Miller (also known as M.N. Miller) joined Ready Steady Cut in April 2018 as a Film and TV Critic, publishing over 1,600 articles on the website. Since a young age, Marc dreamed of becoming a legitimate critic and having that famous “Rotten Tomato” approved status – in 2023, he achieved that status.

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‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’ Review: A Wearyingly Familiar Trip

Rachael Leigh Cook stars in this bland rom-com as a travel executive exploring Vietnam and getting over a breakup.

• Share full article

By Elisabeth Vincentelli

The first thing we learn about Amanda (Rachael Leigh Cook) in “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is that she works for a high-end agency called Tourista World Travel. But nobody in this Netflix film even comments on the fact that “turista” is slang for vacation-wrecking diarrhea. That puzzling choice and its utter lack of consequences are the only surprise in Steven Tsuchida’s film, a rom-com that so scrupulously fulfills every cliché of the genre, it might as well have been devised by ChatGPT.

Amanda is dispatched to Vietnam to check out a small tour company that Tourista is considering buying to develop its market in the area. The assignment is also a good distraction: She was recently dumped by her dull accountant boyfriend, John (Ben Feldman). Going undercover as a regular tourist, albeit an extremely well-prepared one, she’s immediately drawn to the floppy-haired guide, Sinh (Scott Ly). He is the kind of dreamboat who has both abs and sensitivity, and can show Amanda not just his country’s beauty, but how to enjoy life.

Sinh eventually doffs his shirt at the beach and emerges from the water in resplendent slow motion, because the clichés here are as tightly packed in as tchotchkes in a traveler’s suitcase: Amanda is a perky American Type A; village elders are cute as buttons and wise as Yoda; street food is tantalizing; jaded Westerners rediscover themselves as they ditch their phones and bask in a rural experience made only sweeter by the knowledge that it’s temporary. The soundtrack’s catchy Vietnamese songs provide the only fizz in this otherwise flat concoction.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

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A Tourist's Guide to Love cast: who's who in the romantic movie

A Tourist’s Guide to Love cast is led by Rachael Leigh Cook. But who else is in the romantic movie?

A Tourist’s Guide to Love is a romantic movie that follows a woman named Amanda, who heads to Vietnam where she's on a mission to decide whether her travel agency should purchase a smaller outpost there.

But, while there, she finds herself becoming interested in Sinh (Scott Ly), a tour guide 

The Netflix movie is partly based on screenwriter Eirene Tran Donohue’s real-life experiences: She told Tudum : "This idea was based off of the time in my life when, right after college, my safe stable boyfriend unexpectedly broke up with me right as I was about to leave for a five-week trip to Vietnam.

"While I was in Vietnam I realized that that relationship, which was a good one, wasn't actually the best fit for me."

Rachael Leigh Cook as Amanda

Amanda Riley is an American visiting Vietnam who finds herself in an international love triangle while she's there trying to make business decisions, leading to an unexpected romance overseas.

She's played by Rachael Leigh Cook who has starred in The Baby-Sitters Club ,  Love, Guaranteed , 11:14 , and  He’s All That .

Scott Ly as Sinh

Sinh is Amanda’s tour guide in Vietnam, who she develops a connection with during her time there, something that takes them both by surprise!

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This marks Scott Ly’s first major film role, after years of appearing on television. Fans might recognize him from Criminal Minds , The Young and the Restless , Animal Kingdom , and FBI: Most Wanted.

Ben Feldman as John

John was Amanda’s boyfriend of five years until he moves to Ohio and the couple break up. He's the third part of this complicated love triangle.

Fans might recognize him from TV comedies like  Superstore  and  Silicon Valley. He also starred in the found footage movie Cloverfield and horror hit Friday the 13th .

Missi Pyle as Mona

Mona is Amanda’s business partner and longtime friend, so she's a trusted figure when it comes to her professional and love life.

Missi Pyle is known for her work in Galaxy Quest, Bringing Down the House, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

Quinn Trúc Trần as Anh

Anh is Sinh’s cousin and tour guide co-host so she has a key role in the movie.

Actress Quinn Trúc Trần is a Vietnamese-Australian actor and  A Tourist’s Guide to Love  is her second project. Fans may recognize her from My Mr. Wife.

Nsưt Lê Thiện as Ba Noi

Ba Noi is Sinh and Anh’s grandmother and provides a lot of the movie's comic relief, according to Tudum!

Actress Nsưt Lê Thiện has also starred in Goodbye Mother , Until You , The Emperor’s Gift , and Blood Moon Party.

Who else is in A Tourist's Guide to Love?

• Jacqueline Correa
• Andrew Barth Feldman
• Morgan Dudley
• Glynn Sweet
• Alexa Povah

A Tourist's Guide to Love is out now on Netflix.

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story , Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress ! 

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A Tourist's Guide to Love

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A Tourist’s Guide to Love streaming: where to watch online?

Currently you are able to watch "A Tourist's Guide to Love" streaming on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads.

Where does A Tourist's Guide to Love rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Streaming charts last updated: 1:17:53 AM, 04/26/2024

A Tourist's Guide to Love is 5929 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 2559 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Baskin but less popular than Lost Illusions.

A travel executive gets swept up in the excitement as she travels through Vietnam

Amanda Riley finds herself alone. After a surprise break-up, the professional travel executive decides to take on a new assignment and shake things up. She is sent undercover to Vietnam to learn about the tourist industry. In the process, she is captured by the spirit and sounds of the country and falls unexpectedly for her Vietnamese expat tour guide. The pair go rogue and visit stunning remote corners of the country, charming locals, and learn about love on the way.

What to know

Rachael leigh cook brings another new romcom to netflix .

 Tourist's Guide to Love is a romantic comedy movie produced by Head First Productions and distributed by Netflix. The screenplay is written by the Vietnamese-American writer Eirene Donohue. Donohue uses her own travels in Vietnam as inspiration for the screenplay. She is joined by director Steven Tsuchida, who is known for directing episodes of Dear White People , Cobra Kai , and Resort to Love .

The cast of A Tourist's Guide to Love is led by Rachael Leigh Cook playing Amanda Riley. She is known for her roles in She’s All That , Robot Chicken , and Into the West. Cook takes the lead role in the movie and acts as a producer. A Tourist's Guide to Love marks her second collaboration with Netflix after she produced the movie Love Guaranteed . Scott Ly joins the cast as Sinh Thach, her expat romance. The pair are joined by Ben Feldman, Missi Pyle, Glynn Sweet, and Alexa Povah who make up the expanded cast. A Tourist’s Guide to Love was released exclusively on Netflix on April 21st, 2023.

Production News

• Rachael Leigh Cook is confirmed to be starring in a new Netflix romcom from writer Eirene Donohue.( Source: Variety )
• A Tourist’s Guide to Love is confirmed to be filming in March 2022. ( Source: Production Weekly )
• The expanded cast for the movie was announced alongside the director and producers.( Source: Netflix )
• The first photos from the movie are released showing Rachael Leigh Cook in Vietnam. ( Source: Netflix )
• A new trailer for the movie is released showing the characters bracing themselves for the adventure of a lifetime. (Source: Collider)
• The movie is given a new release date as April 21, 2023. (Source: Netflix)

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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On Location: Rachael Leigh Cook Shares Her Vietnam Itinerary From ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’

By Rachel Chang

Lifting the curtain on some of the season's most exciting new releases.

As the sun set in Hoi An one evening last spring,  Rachael Leigh Cook gazed out on the Vietnamese scene on the Thu Bon River. Her mom sat beside her beaming ear-to-ear as someone played Peter Gabriel in the distance. “I remember thinking, ‘I don’t want anything else in the world—I just want to be exactly here, where I am,'” the 43-year-old actress says. “That was a transcendent travel moment for me.” It’s exactly that kind of travel magic that’s celebrated in her latest film,  A Tourist’s Guide to Love , a Netflix original, premiering April 21, about travel executive Amanda Riley who is sent undercover to experience a small-group tour company that her American corporation is considering buying. Arriving in Vietnam with a check-list of sights to see, she soon discovers that the most meaningful moments are found veering off the itinerary. 

In A Tourist's Guide to Love , Rachael Leigh Cook's Amanda is a lovelorn travel executive who goes undercover to learn more about Vietnam's tourism industry.

Filmed all around the Asian nation—from its major hubs Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to the beach town of Da Nang and the northeastern province of Ha Giang —Cook was stunned by how unique every corner of the country is. “It seemed too good to be true,” she says. “Then I got there and realized it’s just that beautiful, and people will get to discover that if they watch our movie.” 

This movie is such a celebration of travel—how has traveling been a part of your life? I spent my whole childhood in Minnesota . My dad worked in the school system, so we could travel a little bit in the summer, but we never went especially far. My parents are extremely prudent financially and we would stay at youth hostels. I remember we went to the Seattle's Northwest Folklife Festival and saw the fish market . As someone who didn't travel much as a kid, the opportunities to travel that have come from my work have shown me some of the most eye-opening and unexpected moments of my life. And this movie is the pinnacle of that.

The movie starts in Ho Chi Minh City and ends in Hanoi—how do the cities compare? Ho Chi Minh City is bustling. It is hard-working, fast-paced, and kind of crazy. There are incredible rooftops there. There's glamour. Anything that you could want to find, you can find in Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is completely different. The energy there is very different. Everyone walks at a slower pace. There's just less sound in the air. The aesthetic is different—and it’s absolutely beautiful. 

Scott Ly plays Sinh, an expat tour guide with whom Amanda falls in love.

The first spark of romance comes during a scene in Hoi An—how would you describe it? When people see images of Vietnam that have those streets full of lanterns and borderline Disney magic about them, that's Hoi An. It's stunningly beautiful—I think that that might have been my favorite stop. It’s conveniently very near Da Nang, which is named the most livable city in Vietnam. It's just a gorgeous beach town. I'm not gonna pretend it wasn't hot. Of course it is. It's Vietnam. But a must-see for sure. 

The group then ventures off the plan and heads to My Son Sanctuary . What was it like to film there? You can feel the stillness and the history there. Its beauty is transcendent and very special. It feels pretty weird to have lighting equipment on an ancient temple—that juxtaposition is not lost on me. I felt just very grateful that they let us film there. I hope that people want to go check it out after seeing our movie.

The movie purposely skips the Golden Hand Bridge , but did you go there? I totally went to the Golden Hand Bridge. We even say in the movie that it’s awesome, but it's just not steeped in as much history. My mom came out for about 10 days with my kids—they couldn't miss more school, but they came during their spring break—and they absolutely loved it. They've created a theme park after a gondola ride. It takes like 22 minutes to get to the top of this mountain. And then up there is something that I would equate to the scale of maybe like a quarter the size of Disneyland and there are theme park rides up there. There is a giant—I don't want to call it a food hall because it's beautiful—but all these restaurants, it is really worth seeing. The engineering blows my mind. What a gift that we got to experience that together.

Jessica Puckett

María Casbas

CNT Editors

The film is set in both bustling Ho Chi Minh City and sleepy Hanoi, giving a glimpse at life in various Vietnamese cities.

Filming the homestay scene in Ha Giang must have been quite a contrast? Ha Giang is mountainous and very beautiful and it's near the border to China. It was probably our most rustic place. It's very much a hard-working community that's seen a lot over the years. It's one of those places I never would have been motivated to come to, but I'm so glad that I did. It’s very user-friendly and the people they're incredibly welcoming. They're excited that you're there. They want to know how you got there. I really just hope they liked the movie—I hope we do them justice.

What were your favorite food experiences in Vietnam?   The food that I ate way too much of that I have not been able to find as good since I've returned back here is bánh xèo. That's my favorite thing. It's like a very thin egg pancake with fresh vegetables quickly cooked in it, and it gets wrapped up like a pancake. So it's sort of like a burrito without the burrito. And oh my gosh, the sauces with it. It's delicious. I did try the durian. I was impressed by the taste. It's in the family of sweetness of a mango, almost. I found the consistency [was] what I couldn't really get behind. And obviously this smell—it is as advertised.

Cook notes the difference between a tourist—someone who wants to escape their life—and a traveler, who does so in order to experience theirs.

Amanda is a very over-prepared traveler. How would you categorize yourself? My packing style is not impressive. If I have a week to pack, it'll take a week. If I have three hours to pack, it'll take three hours. If I have 30 minutes, it'll take 30 minutes. The results are all the same. It's never better or worse. My travel style is generally unprepared and heavy on recommendations. I love knowing where people say to go, especially if it's friends or friends of friends, I find that the most fun and reliable way to sort of like wade through a city. I also like to stay where it makes things central, so I can walk as much as possible. I'm a little bit daunted by taking underground systems where I can get lost because I have no sense of direction.

What’s been your favorite interaction with a stranger while traveling? I made friends with this woman when I was working [on 2014’s  Red Sky ] in Russia. She spoke no English and I speak no Russian, but we could just tell that we liked each other and that we had a similar vibe and humor, and we still found ways to laugh together. I remember her very fondly—she's such a special soul.

Cook's own travel style is different from the overprepared Amanda—the actress relies largely on recommendations. 

What’s a place you’d always go back to? A place I've been twice and I hope I go many times is Moorea , near Bora Bora [and] Tahiti . I think it was Marlon Brando who lived out in Bora Bora because he knew that his heart rate would drop by like 20 percent the second he touched down there, and I could feel it in myself too. It's just so relaxing and centering.

What do you think it is about travel that makes us let go? In the movie, we say a tourist is someone who wants to escape their lives, and a traveler is someone who wants to experience theirs. But I think that those sentiments go hand-in-hand. Sometimes you gotta jump out of the boat that you're in to be able to experience a new thing, and that's okay. Getting out of your comfort zone is what creates and inspires lasting memories. You don't know how long life is going to be, and you should spend your life on experience.

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Should You Watch ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’ on Netflix?

Our PLAY, PAUSE, OR STOP? Review of Netflix's new romance movie.

Picture: Netflix

The latest Rachael Leigh Cook rom-com, A Tourist’s Guide To Love , is now streaming, but should you give it a watch?

In my riveting & well-researched review (naturally) for this year’s big-name Netflix rom-com Your Place or Mine with Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher, I led with a brief history of Netflix’s rom-com revival starting in 2018 with (like it or not) The Kissing Booth . They had a couple of years of teen romance franchising ( To All The Boys ), critical faves (my personal choice, Set It Up ), and star vehicles ( Always Be My Maybe) that really worked on the platform. In the years that followed, they have tried to capture that success once again, but unfortunately, nothing has stuck despite the headline-grabbing talent that performs within them (Yes, I’m talking about Your Place or Mine ).

However, the latest entry in the genre, A Tourist’s Guide To Love , does not fully belong in that category. Not really. This particular movie feels closer to the harmless, benign competitors from the Hallmark movies of the world than it does to some of Netflix’s bigger budget efforts.

In a sense, the movie melds the pieces of the career of its star Rachael Leigh Cook, who rose to prominence in a different era of pre-Netflix teen romance in the late 90s/early 2000s starring in such cult classics as She’s All That and Josie and the Pussycats while also doing a short stint on Dawson’s Creek . However, for the better part of the last decade, she has moved towards the TV movie route doing such projects as her “In the Vineyard” series for Hallmark and a few holiday films as well.

A Tourist’s Guide To Love marks Cook’s 3rd Netflix Original after 2020’s Love Guaranteed opposite Damon Wayans Jr and a smaller mother role in the gender-swap remake of She’s All That entitled He’s All That .

While those films lean heavier into the comedic side of the romantic comedy, Tourist seems to go in a much different direction.

Penned by TV Movie scribe Eirene Tran Donahue ( A Sugar & Spice Holiday , Drink Slay Love ) and directed by Steven K. Tsuchida (Netflix’s Resort To Love & Cobra Kai ), the movie can be categorized as “ASMR for Millennial Moms”; a comfortable companion that pairs well with a warm bath, a glass of white wine, and occasional 2nd screening on Instagram.

A Tourist’s Guide To Love knows exactly what it is and the audience it serves. It fills the inside of the Venn Diagram between vacation porn, romance, & nostalgia if the vacation porn circle was trying desperately to push the other pieces out entirely.

Set almost entirely in Vietnam, the story centers around meticulous & reliable travel executive Amanda Riley, whose steady life is upended when her long-term boyfriend decides to take a job halfway across the country. Jilted from the unexpected breakup, Amanda accepts an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam; more specifically, a guided tour business that may be a potential purchase for Amanda’s company. Along the way, she finds adventure and romance with her Vietnamese expat tour guide Sinh (Scott Ly) when they decide to reroute the tour bus in order to explore life and love off the beaten path.

Depending on what you came for with this endeavor, you might be disappointed by the adventure and romance in the above description. If your definition of adventure is swapping out beautiful & interesting tourist traps for EVEN MORE beautiful and interesting sights with fewer tourists, then you’re in luck because that is as far as this film will stretch.

Remember the terms “harmless” and “benign” I used before to describe this type of film’s competition? This one uses the same mold to give you the feeling of wandering the Vietnamese countryside with the same wistful wonder as a member of the tour group. As for the romance, the same adjectives apply as the “complicated” love connection in the film meets very few obstacles and yields only a low level of chemistry between Cook and Ly. While delightful separately, the two leads don’t register the heights necessary to compete with the beauty of its backdrop, nor do you think it won’t happen for them in the end.

Overall, A Tourist’s Guide To Love is a limp TV movie-style entry that doesn’t elevate past its cliches and modest charm. The sights and sounds of modern-day Vietnam capture more of your attention than the on-screen duo that should be capturing our hearts.

This will be a “put it on in the background” classic for a certain crowd, but it will be a mostly forgettable Friday night for a more discernible bunch.

Watch A Tourist’s Guide to Love on Netflix if you like:

• Love, Guaranteed
• She’s All That
• Resort To Love
• Falling Inn Love

MVP of A Tourist’s Guide to Love

Scott Ly as Sinh Thach

While he doesn’t pair that well with his leading lady, Scott Ly displays a level of charisma & small-screen good looks that can give him many more opportunities in films & similar TV roles like this for years to come.

For a movie that seems more like a guided tour than a romantic story, he is a delight to follow and could be a mainstay in Vietnamese & American Netflix projects in the future.

PLAY, PAUSE, OR STOP?

If you are a TV movie junkie who loves the combo of Rachael Leigh Cook and travel documentaries, this one’s for you. But if you have a more refined palette for top-shelf rom-coms, you might think twice before you jump into this movie.

Andrew Morgan is a film critic & podcaster with 20 years of experience on the sets & offices of film & television. Current podcast host of the entertainment review show, Recent Activity. He lives in the Northeast of the United States.

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A tourist's guide to love, common sense media reviewers.

Woman finds love abroad in gentle romance; mild language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Sometimes you have to get off the beaten path and

Sinh was raised between the US and Vietnam and enj

The film is set mostly in Vietnam and shows the co

Amanda is almost hit by a bicyclist.

Adults flirt and kiss. There's discussion of getti

"Hell," "idiot."

The film could easily promote tourism to Vietnam.

Adults drink wine, a woman says she misses smoking

Parents need to know that A Tourist's Guide to Love is a romantic film set between the US and Vietnam that has mild flirtation and kissing. It plays like a promotional video of Vietnam as the plot turns on a tour company. The cast is also diverse and includes American, British, White, Black, and Vietnamese…

Positive Messages

Sometimes you have to get off the beaten path and outside your comfort zone to experience new and incredible things. Lead with your heart. Tourists want to escape life; travelers want to experience it.

Positive Role Models

Sinh was raised between the US and Vietnam and enjoys sharing Vietnam with Americans as a tour guide. He's open-minded, kind, and playful. Amanda is more structured and likes to have things planned out. She misleads people about her real intentions in Vietnam.

Diverse Representations

The film is set mostly in Vietnam and shows the country both through the eyes of a tourist and a proud local. Vietnamese characters are portrayed as generous, fun, and family oriented. On the tour with Amanda is an older British couple, two Black women who are married and have a teenage daughter, and a nerdy teen boy.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Adults flirt and kiss. There's discussion of getting "back in the saddle" after a break-up. A woman ogles a man in a bathing suit.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The film could easily promote tourism to Vietnam. Hyundai, Facebook, Girl Scouts, Iowa State.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults drink wine, a woman says she misses smoking, and a couple boards the wrong "booze cruise."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Tourist's Guide to Love is a romantic film set between the US and Vietnam that has mild flirtation and kissing. It plays like a promotional video of Vietnam as the plot turns on a tour company. The cast is also diverse and includes American, British, White, Black, and Vietnamese characters, as well as different sexual identities. There is minimal wine drinking and mild language (one use of "hell," several of "idiot"). Adults flirt and kiss. Themes revolve around learning to lead with your heart and finding joy in the unexpected surprises of everyday life. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

After getting dumped by her boyfriend John ( Ben Feldman ) on the night she's expecting a marriage proposal, Amanda Riley ( Rachel Leigh Cook ) jumps on an opportunity to travel for work and get away in A TOURIST'S GUIDE TO LOVE. Mona ( Missi Pyle ), her boss at a tourist company, sends her to Vietnam to scout out a local tour organizer they're considering buying. Handsome guide Sinh ( Scott Ly ) runs the operation, together with his cousin Anh (Thanh Truc), whose father owns the company. Sinh and Amanda start to have feelings for each other, but Sinh doesn't know the company is up for sale and Amanda hasn't revealed her professional involvement.

Is It Any Good?

The Vietnam setting is the freshest element in this formulaic romance which, following previous Netflix productions, sends an American woman to a faraway locale to gain perspective and fall in love. Cook seems a little detached from her character in A Tourist's Guide to Love , and her pairing with Ly lacks enough steamy chemistry to make their vital choices believable. Ly's performance is more relaxed, and he manages to casually smile through the many #lifelessons he imparts. Truc is adorable as his spunky cousin. The big issue might be the writing, which sets up several obvious scenarios and overly scripted dialogues on its way to completing the formula. Vietnam is on postcard-worthy show, though, so come for the romance but stay for the locations.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the various locations seen in A Tourist's Guide to Love . How does the film present the different cities and towns? How do they compare, from what you see?

Do you think Amanda should have revealed her professional motives to Sinh? Why or why not?

What do you think happens in this story after the film ends?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : April 21, 2023
• Cast : Rachel Leigh Cook , Ben Feldman
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Friendship
• Run time : 96 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : April 21, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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A Tourist’s Guide to Love soundtrack: Full list of songs from the Netflix movie

By crystal george | apr 21, 2023.

Rachael Leigh Cook’s new Netflix film  A Tourist’s Guide to Love  is now streaming. It’s a rom-com following an American travel executive who travels to Vietnam on a job assignment but ends up finding adventure and romance with her charismatic and free-spirited expatriate tour guide.

Steven K. Tsuchida, who previously directed the Netflix movie  Resort to Love , helmed the film from a screenplay written by Eirene Donohue. The story was inspired by actual events in Donohue’s life, such as a breakup she experienced the day before her five-week trip to Vietnam. In addition, Tsuchida, Jim Head for Head First Productions, and Lydia Storie for Muse Entertainment executive produced the film, with Cook and Joel S. Rice signed on as producers.

Cook stars in the leading role as Amanda Riley, a travel executive who accepts a job assignment to go undercover on a group tour in Vietnam to gain insight into the country’s tourist industry. Scott Ly stars as Amanda’s love interest, Sinh, a Vietnamese tour guide who enjoys living life in the moment. The rest of the cast includes Missi Pyle, Ben Feldman, Nondumiso Tembe, Andrew Barth Feldman, and many others.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love soundtrack

While watching the rom-com , you might find yourself bopping your head to the different music played throughout but have no idea what the names of the songs are. Luckily, you have us to provide you with the titles of all the songs featured in the movie right below.

• “Good Times Ahead” by Okay, Babe
• “Forever and a Day” by Jeremiah Burnham
• “Em Chao Tet” by Bich Phuong
• “GPS” by Pixel Neko
• “Anh Sẽ Đưa Em” by Mai Lệ Huyề
• “Cho Không” by Suboi
• “Changes” by Emily Vu
• “Tình Mơ” by Phương Tâm
• “Đi Đu Đưa Đi” by Bich Phuong
• “Heart Light” by Jamra
• “Miss You” by Kleo
• “Falling Into Place” by Leah Nobel

A Tourist’s Guide to Love  is now available to stream on Netflix .

Next. 9 Netflix shows in the most danger of being canceled in 2023. dark

A Tourist's Guide to Love (2023)

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WATCH: Threads of love & fashion get tangled in this story of controversial designer Karl Lagerfeld

Fashion designers? They’re so hot right now .

In the world of television, the lives of the most visionary, influential designers in history have become fodder for sleek and (appropriately) stylish streaming series.

This year alone, we’ve seen Cristóbal Balenciaga , Disney+’s ode to the groundbreaking Spanish designer, and The New Look , AppleTV+’s series that tells the story of Christian Dior and Coco Chanel’s fiery rivalry.

Your dose of fabulosi-TEA Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer. Daily * Weekly *

Now, Hulu wants a turn, and they’ve set their sights on late German designer Karl Lagerfeld , a man who was as controversial as his style was iconic.

Before he was brought on to revive the Chanel brand in the ’80s, before he found his signature look—the catogan ponytail bow, the dark sunglasses, the fingerless gloves—Lagerfeld was a burgeoning ready-to-wear designer, whose name still had little pull in the wider fashion world.

Related: The 15 greatest gay fashion designers

The series Becoming Karl Lagerfeld begins in 1972, when the designer (played by Inglourious Basterds and Marvel star Daniel Brühl) meets Gaby Aghion (Agnès Jaoui) and starts finding success through her fashion house, Chloé.

It’s around this time when Lagerfeld also meets Jacques de Bascher ( Boy Erased ‘s Théodore Pellerin) a French dandy whose troubled man-about-town lifestyle beguiled the designer, and would have a profound impact on him in the years to come.

And then there’s Yves Saint Laurent ( 120 BPM and Good Grief ‘s Arnaud Valois), who would go on to become Lagerfeld’s rival in more ways than one. Not only did the two find themselves in a race to be the biggest name in fashion, but they were also competing for the affections of de Bascher.

As the threads of Lagerfeld’s personal and professional lives become a tangled mess, Becoming Karl Lagerfeld traces the most pivotal years of his career across six episodes.

We’ll be especially curious to see how the series approaches the late designer’s sexuality and relationship to de Bascher, his longtime companion. Though he is largely understood to have been gay or queer, Lagerfeld was notoriously private, and years after de Bascher died of AIDS in 1989, he was quoted as saying they were in love, but that their relationship was never sexual.

Related: An iconic designer gives in to pleasure in this psychedelic biopic of Yves Saint Laurent The late Gaspard Ulliel plays acclaimed designer Yves Saint Laurent in this portrait of a tortured artist.

And that’s just one of the many perplexing things Lagerfeld said over the years, much of which has gotten him in hot water. He’s been accused of misogyny, racism, fat-shaming, and even homophobia—he’s both spoken out in favor of and against same-sex marriage. In other words, the man was polarizing.

But that makes his life story all the more ripe for the biopic treatment, so we’ll be sure to check out Becoming Karl Lagerfeld when it hits Hulu on June 7.

You can watch the first trailer for the miniseries below:

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How to visit cinque terre and hike via dell’amore in italy.

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Manarola in Italy—one of the five towns that make up Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is one of the most iconic, picture-postcard images of Italy, with its pastel-colored houses perched on the north-west coastline of Italy on the hills above the Mediterranean sea.

Knowing which part of Cinque Terre is the best place to stay depends on your preferences—here's a guide on when to go, what to take, where to stay and how to get about in Cinque Terre.

Why Is Cinque Terre So Special?

The five medieval villages of Cinque Terre have been UNESCO listed since 1997, inspired a Disney movie (Luca) and entice three million tourists to visit every year.

The wine made on the clifftops was legendary in the Renaissance period when it was sent to the tables of royalty and Popes—that's especially extraordinary considering the hillside in which it was, and still is, produced makes for backbreaking work.

It's even more incredible considering how remote it must have felt for centuries. The railway connecting Genoa and La Spezia was built in the 1870s, linking the five villages for the first time by train—before that, it was only accessible by sea. By 1960, one single-track road had arrived but it remains incredibly difficult to move about by car.

Above all, it is the views that are sublime. Everyone has a favorite village, but there's certainly something for every kind of nature lover, whether that's people watching on the beach or hiking vertiginous cliff faces.

Huawei s Pura 70 Ultra Beats iPhone With Pioneering New Feature

Tiktok could be banned in 9 months here s what may stop that, sixers justified in fury toward officiating after game 2 meltdown vs. knicks, what are the five villages in cinque terre and which is the most beautiful town in cinque terre.

Just as its name suggests, Cinque Terre is made up of five villages—Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

Monterosso al Mare (red mountain) is the largest village in Cinque Terre with the most stores, hotels and guesthouses. It is divided into two parts, separated by a tunnel—the medieval part is to the east and to the west is Fegina, where you'll find the newest part of the village and the only sandy beach in Cinque Terre where you can rent beach chairs and parasols (the private beach clubs open in May and close for the year in September). Monterosso is the flattest of any of the Cinque Terre villages.

While it is often seen as the most overdeveloped village in Cinque Terre, Monterosso offers a great opportunity to taste authentic artisanal produce (think limoncello, olive oil, pesto) from local family-run businesses and has a large choice of seafood restaurants.

Vernazza is considered one of the most picturesque village (meaning sometimes, the busiest) with colorful Ligurian houses and fishing boats in the only natural harbor of all the Cinque Terre villages—it's here that you'll find all the pretty architectural features of the ancient Genoans, like winding staircases and atmospheric arches. The hike starts here to Monterosso in the north and Corniglia to the south—it's a stunning climb up to the Belforte Tower of Doria castle, built in the mid-1500s to protect the village from pirates.

Corniglia , the Cinque Terre village in the middle, is the only one not built directly on the seaside but 100 metres above sea level (you'll need to climb the 380-odd steps or take the shuttle bus from the station). It is the smallest and least accessible village, meaning that the larger tourist groups and buses tend to avoid it.

Manarola is one of the oldest villages and known for fishing and wine (think footpaths through the cliffside vineyards with yummy wines and delicious views). It might be one of the most instantly recognisable villages, known for its boat ramp into the sea and for watching the locals cliff jumping into the sea. Sit in one of the many Trattorias, eating fresh seafood—say, the muscoli ripieni— mussels stuffed with mortadella, parmesan and egg—overlooking the lush vineyards.

Riomaggiore has a pebble beach, a pretty harbor, some nightlife and a great sunset surrounding the patchwork of colorful houses stacked one upon another. It's the most eastern/southern village connected by narrow cobblestoned lanes and steps upon steps that lead up to the 13th century Castello di Riomaggiore, which has a great view.

How Long Does It Take To Walk The Five Villages Of Cinque Terre? Can I Take The Train? Is The Via dell'Amore Open?

The entire area is a national park with over 120 km (75 miles) of footpaths, connecting all five villages. Most trails are free of charge except, for instance, the trail than connects Monterosso and Vernazza and Corniglia, for which hikers need a Cinque Terre card. The Red Trail (Sentiero no.1) is free and runs along the ridge along all five Cinque Terre villages. The easiest part of the Blue Trail that connects Vernazza to Corniglia takes 1.5 hours, taking in the tiny hamlet of Prevo, although it is steep at the bottom.

The most famous walking trail is probably Via dell'Amore , or The Path of Love . It's flat, accessible and only takes 1km (half a mile) between Riomaggiore and Manarola but it has been closed since 2012 due to landslide damage— it's due to reopen fully in July 2024 for guided tours only. (Many trails were destroyed in the heavy flooding and landslides of 2011).

The easiest way to travel around the five villages of Cinque Terre is to take the express train that runs every 20 minutes (the schedule and prices can be found here ). There is also a hop-on, hop-off ferry service for about €30 per day but tickets cannot be bought in advance and must be bought from the ferry booths themselves.

While it is possible to visit Cinque Terre in one day, the villages are most atmospheric in the evenings when most of the day tourists have left, so you'll get the most out of a trip if you stay longer than two or three days.

The trails are often closed due to weather issues, so check the national park website for updates. To be most loved, stick to the paths and leave everything as you found it, taking litter with you.

How Can I travel To Cinque Terre?

Pisa Airport is close and from there, it's easy to take a train to Pisa Centrale Train Station and then to one of the Cinque Terre villages (usually changing trains at La Spezia).

Driving is complicated, the roads narrow and entrance to the villages banned (you would need to park in designated spaces outside). Only residents can drive inside.

Take the ferry from Levanto, La Spezia or Portovenere to Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore (it is only Corniglia, high on the cliffs that doesn’t have ferry access).

Can I Cycle The Villages Of Cinque Terre?

In a word, yes, you can cycle the villages of Cinque Terre but the difficulty of cycling the paths shouldn't be underestimated and anyone unused to long periods on a bike on hilly terrain could hire an electric bike near the Madonna of Montenero Sanctuary in Riomaggiore or in Manarola.

The Sentiero del Crinale, path number one, is a good bet for cyclists, as it's an old mule track, dating from Roman times. It's 40 kilometres long, rising from 800 metres to around 1.300 metres above sea level, starting in Levanto and finishing in Porto Venere in the south.

Is Cinque Terre Expensive?

Cinque Terre is very expensive by Italian standards as so many people come to visit one of the prettiest parts of Italy. Moreover, at weekends and on holidays, prices will easily double. The best value might be an affittacamere, a room without breakfast and while restaurant prices might be higher than you expected for a small village, there are lots of small bakeries that make delicious focaccia bread.

Levanto and La Spezia are at either ends of the trainline (and included on the Cinque Terre travel card) so it could be a good idea to stay in either of these places to find something cheaper, depending on availability. Porto Venere is another nearby village, an important commercial post in Roman times, often overlooked but worth a visit.

What Should I Bring To Visit Cinque Terre?

These are cliff sides that you will be exploring, prone to shifting over time and under weather—bring solid footwear and layered clothing that you can shed or add to match the weather, with waterproofs. Take lots of water (there are fountains to fill up free-of-charge in the villages) and there is little shade, so hats, sunscreen and sunglasses are a priority.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Cinque Terre?

Summers are increasingly hot across Europe, which is the fastest-warming continent due to climate change and thanks to remote working, there are less easily recognisable cheaper shoulder seasons, as in the past. April/May and September/October are good options for avoiding the crowds. Make sure to verify that you're not traveling on Italian public holidays or the villages will be unbearably crowded.

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Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton Hold Hands at Bridgerton Season 3 Premiere in Australia

Penelope and Colin's love story will be the main plot of the upcoming season.

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The Netflix romance series, based on Julia Quinn's bestselling novels of the same name, is set to return next month with new leads: Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope, and Luke Newton, who plays Colin. (The third season will take its inspiration from Romancing Mister Bridgerton , the fourth book in Quinn's series.)

The global press tour for Bridgerton season three kicked off this past weekend in Australia, with Coughlan and Newton walking the red carpet together. They sweetly posed holding hands.

"We've known each other now five years and people were like, 'What did you do to build the chemistry?' And I'm like, 'Well, we just stopped repressing it, and then it was fine, we didn't have to do anything,'" Coughlan said at the premiere, per a clip shared by Elle Australia .

In seasons one and two of Bridgerton , Penelope was pining for Colin, and in the final episode of last season , she overhears him telling his friends he would never court her. "I don't think he means it in a horrible way," Newton told Town & Country around the season two premiere, "but also I think he does see her as a friend. He sees her as this best friend that he's had growing up. So he's clouded by that, and it comes out in the wrong way. He wants to say 'she's my best friend,' but he doesn't wanna play that in front of the boys." The past two seasons set up the friends-to-lovers trope that will be at the heart of season three.

For the Australian premiere, Coughlan wore a custom Richard Quinn gown, and Newton wore AMI Paris . Coughlan wrote on Instagram "A special thank you to THE Richard Quinn- I contacted him because I have been obsessed with this dress since I first saw it on the runway and dreamed of wearing it. I asked him if he and his brilliant team made it for me and they they did and it's better than I ever could’ve imagined."

Though the Australian premiere took place this past weekend, there's still a few weeks until audiences around the world will be able to tune in: Bridgerton season three, part one premieres on May 16, and part two drops on June 13.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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