From his home in Auckland, Brett Atkinson has been exploring New Zealand and the world as a full-time travel, food and beer writer for almost two decades. He's researched and co-writtenLonely Planet guides to 15 different countries across five continents, and is a regular contributor to newspapers, magazines and online media in New Zealand and Australia. Internationally, Brett's been published by the BBC, National Geographic Traveller and AFAR. His earliest New Zealand road trip memories incorporate a 1970s caravan and the company of his mum, dad and brother Marc, but these days adventures with his wife Carol are more likely to include restaurants, vineyards, breweries and markets.

Born to northern Italian parents, Australian travel writer Cristian Bonetto spends significant amounts of time in Italy each year.

While he loathes playing favourites, he will admit that Rome has a particular hold on him. Not only does he love its nail-biting backstory, extraordinary architecture and ivy-clad back streets, he’s also drawn to its less obvious, everyday charms, from vintage espresso bars to avant-garde concept stores, off-the-radar boutiques and suburban street art. Together, they keep his camera clicking and his notebooks full of scribbles and stories. Cristian began his writing life as a playwright, running a small theatre company and producing a handful of comedies.

In 2003, his play Il Cortile (The Courtyard) was awarded an Australia Council grant and was performed in numerous Italian cities, including Rome. After a short stint writing scripts for Australian soaps Home & Away and Neighbours in the early 2000s, Cristian turned his hand to travel writing.

Since 2006, he has written more than 30 travel guides for Lonely Planet, for destinations as varied as Naples, Venice, Copenhagen, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and Brisbane. He is also a globe-trotting host of travel videos and a travel writer for UK newspaper The Telegraph.

London-based Helena Smith has been walking on the hygge side of life as a freelance travel writer and photographer for the last 15 years. One of her first assignments was to travel around Denmark, and she still returns regularly to enjoy saunas – alternating with icy lake plunges – healthy smorrebrod, impeccable Scandi design aesthetics and a population that is considered to be the happiest in the world.

Helena has written about Copenhagen for Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Bradt, and she also has her own London food blog, eathackney.com. Happiest herself when cycling, swimming, looking at art and browsing a flea market, Helena wholeheartedly gives Copenhagen her vote.