From Staff Reports 

National Geographic Travel recently named Asheville as an �up-and-coming� city in its new book, �World�s Best Cities: Celebrating 220 Great Destinations.�

The book calls Asheville �a mecca of awesome mountain scenery, bohemian art and high southern cuisine� and notes, �Asheville�s exuberant foodie scene is all about fusion and updated southern favorites.�

The write-up also highlights Zambra Wine and Tapas, Salsa�s, Luella�s and 12 Bones.

Zip line options are also celebrated in the �local secrets� section as well as Black Mountain College and Asheville Art Museum�s collection of BMC instructors Josef and Anni Albers.

The book will serve as a travel guide that highlights 220 urban destinations, both well-known and emerging, with beautiful photo galleries, inciteful text and insider tips and secrets.

In addition to Asheville, the book showcases iconic cities like Paris, Rome, New York, London and Tokyo, as well as other �up-and-coming� cities like Denver, Nairobi and Abu Dhabi. 

Meanwhile, Asheville also was named a top place to visit by Frommer�s Travel Guide. The list was highlighted on ABC�s �Good Morning America� on Jan. 1.

�Everyone�s talking about Asheville,� the write-up notes. �Is it the gentle Great Smoky Mountains and their national park nearby, beckoning hikers and nature photographers? Is it the crunchy bohemian culture, the burgeoning community of artists? It might be the walkable historic downtown full of style-within-reach boutiques, evolved Southern cooking (like at the River District�s 12 Bones), and Malaprop�s, one of America�s great independent bookstores.

�Whatever the reasons, Asheville�s national profile has risen to qualify it as the Austin of the East � accessible, youth-friendly, affordable, and the place to go for a sweet lifestyle,� the Frommer�s write-up says.