The Perfect Gift for Day-Trippers!

With last month's publication of Three Hours From…, Lonely Planet presents the best day and weekend trips within three hours of 60 of the world’s favourite cities, from Amsterdam and Běijīng to Marrakesh and Rio de Janeiro.

Australia is represented by short escapes from Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, as well as the breakout lists Australia’s Best Food & Drink Escapes and Oceania’s most Fascinating Indigenous Experiences. Our very own Hunter Valley wine-country also gets a nod in the Sydney section.

With sights, activities and hidden gems – all built around themes like Art and Culture, the Outdoors and Food and Drink – Three Hours From… has amazing ideas for city escapes and long stopovers, as well as new experiences to discover in one's own backyard.

"In this book, we hope to inspire you to look beyond the city limits for your next adventure," Lonely Planet says. "Whether you’re in Delhi, Vancouver, Brisbane or Rome and whether you live there, work there, are on vacation or are simply passing through with a day to kill, we encourage you to widen your net.

"Just an hour and 40 minutes from Cape Town you can spy breaching whales from the cliff path at Hermanus; within two hours of Manhattan you can be surfing at Rockaway Beach; and if you find yourself in Běijīng with time on your hands, you can choose between rafting a scenic gorge, visiting Jin era temples, or hiking along the Great Wall – all are within three hours of the city."

"Each of the 60 global cities in this book is presented with a map of the surrounding area, pinpointed with up to 18 of the most exciting, in-the-know things to do within three hours," Lonely Planet continues.

"These pinpoints are colour-coded by theme so you can easily find what you’re interested in, be that outdoor pursuits, arts and culture, history, festivals and events, film and music, or food and drink. The corresponding entries are ordered by the time it takes to get there from the city centre, so whether you’ve got just a couple of hours or a whole weekend, you can find an adventure, if not on your doorstep, then three hours from it."

You’ll find Three Hours From… in all good book stores or for more information visit www.lonelyplanet.com