Advice

Summer holidays require choices: lazy or active; seaside or city; chic or wholesome; cultural or camp. And if you’re just having the one trip after quite a spell of delayed gratification, it’s desirable to tick more than one box for the summer splurge.  But where to go? Italian charm is legendary. Moules frites by the

The sound of lapping waves on the shoreline, huddles of children giggling as they hunt for sea life in the harbour and the smell of fresh seafood in the air – Great Britain is blessed with a vast and beautiful coastline, along which are dotted an abundance of quintessential seaside villages. With summer 2021 set to be

There’s nothing better than the feeling of stumbling across a secluded beach – especially during a summer heatwave, when you know the majority of Britain’s sandy shores will be packed with daytrippers. Whether you want to relax with a book in hand between genteel dips in the sea, or gather for a proper picnic with friends

“Pomskizillious and gromphiberous,” was how Edward Lear described the little Maltese island of Gozo, “because no other words can describe its magnificence”. Malta’s little sister, just a few kilometres away across glittering blue waters, Gozo is 14x7km, dotted with flat topped hills and surrounded by impressive cliffs and pretty bays. It packs a lot into

It is the stuff of holiday nightmares. You arrive at the airport, crane your neck to check the departures board and see that dreaded word in red letters: cancelled. This may well be a familiar scenario, if you have recently flown out of the UK. Over the past month the UK has faced significant flight

Britain is home to some exemplary beaches. And with the sun finally shining, it’s time to start planning a day at the beach.  To help you pick the best stretch of sand to visit this summer, we asked our experts to recommend their favourite beaches around the country. Some of the nominations are deservedly popular

The very idea of Tokyo – one of most densely packed cities on the planet – can be intimidating even before getting off the plane. In reality, however, it is a refreshingly easy city to visit. Despite its salaryman crowds, flashing neon and sprawling train networks, it is a place that thrives on running smoothly

Scholars have flocked to Oxford since the 13th century when the first of its 39 university colleges were established. As you wander down its cobbled backstreets lined with medieval halls and ornate chapels, the weight of academic achievement seems to seep from the walls. History has a very conspicuous presence here, whether you walk in

Why would anybody go on a cruise, especially with Covid to contend with? At the start of the pandemic I wrote a detailed account of how one luxury vessel, the Diamond Princess, cruising Asia, became known as “the Corona plague ship” after there were nearly 700 cases on-board, leaving passengers then staff quarantined on-board for

The Lake District isn’t all about energetic outdoorsy activities on the fells or water. It can also be a place to just kick back and let yourself be pampered in a spa. Even better, some of the area’s spa hotels combine treatments and relaxation areas with stunning views, whether of lakes and hilltops or peaceful

It has been a hectic fortnight at the UK’s international airports, with flight cancellations and delays affecting thousands of British holidaymakers over the half-term break. And even now, after the children have returned to school, the chaos continues. Understandably, the public has been browsing the internet to find the answers to their most pressing holiday

I should be arriving in an Aston Martin DB5. The journey from Preveza, twisting through the oak-draped mountains and deep gorges of Epirus, has me humming one of 007’s portentous theme tunes. Thick forests offer occasional glimpses of secret bays and mysterious villages, until a lone eucalyptus at a nondescript junction provides the signal for

While the west coast of Mallorca gets the most attention, and you certainly have to dive off the rocks of Deià after a seafood lunch at least once in your life, the southeast of the island is arguably more beautiful. Avoid the resorts of Cala d’Or and stay inland at Santanyí, a golden stone town

So here it is – the big “off”. I’ve assembled my supplies and the forest stands waiting. It’s seven in the morning in Macapá, a small Brazilian city in the heavily forested state of Amapá, which lies on the north bank of the Amazon. Already here on the equator the dank smell of vegetation rises

First there was the travel ban. Then there was the stop-go brinkmanship of the traffic-light system. That was followed by the stress and confusion of the ever-changing testing and vaccination rules. And now… now we are finally free of virtually all restrictions, what do we get? Chaos.  The last week has seen the greatest shambles

Gone are the days of dull, corporate hotels with drab interiors, little or no atmosphere, and limited amenities. New York is home to a host of innovative properties promising more than cosy beds and free Wi-Fi. From spacious, well-designed lobbies-cum-workspaces to celebrity chef-driven restaurants, not to mention ultra-convenient addresses merely a skip to the office,

Remember those two-week holidays when you wished you could’ve stayed longer? When you dreamt of spending days on end getting lost in the streets of a new city, returning to a favourite café until you’re counted as one of the locals, or having more time for day trips further afield? It seems retired travellers are

Los Angeles has long been looked down on by its East Coast counterparts, but now that the rest of world has caught up with California’s green juice and wellness obsession, the city is having something of a moment. No longer deemed a cultural wasteland, LA is bursting with new art galleries and museums, a flourishing

Croatia offers more than 1,100 miles of meandering mainland coast backed by rugged limestone mountains, along with hundreds of scattered islands and islets, of which 47 are inhabited. It is also dotted with historic and beautifully preserved harbour towns, relics of the four centuries between 1420 and 1797 when it was occupied by the Venetians. This

It’s time to give away my best trick as a hotel guest: I never – unless it can’t be helped ­ ­– stay in hotels on Friday and Saturday nights. That’s because I have long been an advocate of Sunday night stays, but then I’m lucky: as a hotel critic I’m aware of the advantages