Travel Essentials Why go now? Spring is readying itself to return to the beautiful south-west of France and “La Ville Rose” – the picturesque Pink City and capital of the Midi-Pyrénées – is the perfect place to plunge into the quiet delights…
The spirituality, legends, art, rice fields, volcanoes, beaches and sunsets – few places capture the imagination quite like the Island of the Gods. Don’t listen to anyone that suggests the Bali fantasy no longer exists. Overdevelopment has indeed marred many parts of…
Seconds after landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, I’m snapping photos in an unusual place: the toilet. It’s not just the heated seat that wows me, but the sleek control panel I can use to scroll through bidet-style water jets, and to programme…
Locals liken Antwerp to a village. But don’t mistake that for humility: Flanders’ de facto capital has been punching above its weight since it was a medieval trading hub. Intriguingly, the north Belgian port’s rich past is matched by a sharply progressive…
A British man is stranded in Prague after his friend picked up the wrong passport – and used it to fly from the Czech capital via Amsterdam to Newcastle, passing through four passport checks. Steve Vincent, 44, a professor at Newcastle University,…
Why go now? Beer literally flows through the fairytale streets of Bruges, the capital of West Flanders, albeit in a pipeline running beneath the Belgian city’s cobbled pavements. Its annual beer festival this weekend (4-5 February) is one of the best in…
One of the most underrated European capitals, Kiev is an alluring mix of centuries-old architectural masterpieces, amazing food, bustling nightlife and energetic art. Having gone through two modern revolutions, the Ukrainian capital quirkily combines the best of east and west. It’s a city…
Why go now? Hurtling along at top speed on a hamster wheel of regeneration, Birmingham is constantly pulling out new attractions that make it a worthy weekend destination. Long regarded as a drab place and teased relentlessly for producing a singsong accent,…
Travel essentials Why go now? The Dutch capital may be small, with just a tenth of the population of London, but it packs a powerful cultural punch. Amsterdam is emerging from deep midwinter with a fresh, creative boost in the shape of…
Travel essentials Why go now? Faro’s festa season starts soon, kicking off with the Ria Formosa Seafood Festival (26 July-5 August), continuing with FolkFaro (16-24 August), with the annual candy and dried fruit fair running alongside (17-26 August). These are the real…