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.

An avid traveller, Donna Wheeler has wedded her love of travel writing with her great passion for traipsing across the globe. Australia is where she grew up, and often returns, but France won't release its hold on her, so now she divides her time between both countries. One of her favourite things to do in France is to get lost, literally, in the laneways of Paris with all the treasures they have to behold.

From the world's leading travel publisher comes Lonely Planet Kids, a children's imprint that brings the world to life for young explorers everywhere.

With a range of beautiful books for children aged 5-12, we're kickstarting the travel bug and showing kids just how amazing our planet can be.

From bright and bold sticker activity books, to beautiful gift titles bursting at the seams with amazing facts, we aim to inspire and delight curious kids, showing them the rich diversity of people, places and cultures that surrounds us.

We pledge to share our enthusiasm, sense of humour and continual fascination for what makes the world such a diverse and magnificent place. It's going to be a big adventure - come explore!

Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community.

Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.