Auckland, closed to the world by Covid, tops Lonely Planet’s list of best cities to visit

New Zealanders react with amusement at travel guide's optimistic ranking for 2022

In further evidence that we all want what we cannot have, Auckland has taken out the top spot in Lonely Planet's best cities to visit" rankings - despite currently being in lockdown, the centre of a Covid outbreak, and off-limits to both the rest of the country and the world.

The announcement generated some amusement in New Zealand, given anyone who now attempts to visit the locked-down city risks being slapped with a hefty fine or prison term. It is kind of a lonely planet in lockdown level 3," one resident wrote on social media. Probably means the rest of the world is in a really bad place," responded another.