Advice

The city that can’t stand still The Finnish capital’s ability and willingness to reinvent itself knows no bounds. Oodi, an enormous wood-clad marvel that redefines the concept of the library; the cavernous Tripla mall, hotel and transport hub in the Pasila district; ambitious, achievable targets for public transport and sustainable development, breathing new life into

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Home to over 1,000 pubs and Britain’s oldest brewery, Shepherd Neame, locals will tell you that Kent is the spiritual home of England’s medieval pub. The county’s

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Wales has always known that small is beautiful, with tempting boutique escapes winging you from slickly converted, art-slung Victorian priories by the sea to minimalist-chic Georgian townhouses

Please note our writers visited these properties prior to the coronavirus pandemic Romance is a glass of champagne at the edge of an infinity pool with your loved one as the sun sets. It’s a seven-course tasting menu in a candle-lit dining room with white tablecloths and gleaming silverware after a soothing couples’ massage. Or

When skiing first became popular, it was considered the realm of the aristocracy and celebrity film stars, and energetic sporty types who combined a love of adventure and mountaineering with the new thrill of sliding down fast. The glamorous set spent summers in St Tropez, Capri or Monte Carlo, then met again in Alpine equals

To mark the end of what has been a highly unusual (to say the least) year, hotels up and down the country are celebrating with packages, special dinners, music, and lots and lots of Champagne. Here’s our pick of the best hotels in Tiers 1 and 2 that still have availabilty for ringing in the

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Fast-paced, exhilarating – and exhausting. A trip to Tokyo often goes hand in hand with a hectic schedule of sightseeing, shopping and nightspot hopping (plus an often

Floodlit by twinkling constellations, a midnight marathon has started on the beaches of Morro Peixe in Sao Tome, with competitors frantically racing for the surf. Spectating from side-lines like an anxious coach, Hipolito Lima wills his batch of baby turtle hatchlings to safely reach the sea, nervously checking there are no predatory gulls swooping overhead.

It has been one 30th birthday, one engagement, two house moves and approximately one million bottles of wine since I visited Rockliffe Hall last year – plus a global pandemic – which is why I wanted to wait for the right time to publish this piece. As the pages in my monthly lockdown calendar turned, I

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Wales is known for its castles with many, such as Conwy and Caernarfon, built by King Edward I in the 13th century and now listed as Unesco

These four city hotels are the perfect places to curl up with a mulled wine after a hard day of Christmas shopping Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, London Best for… pretending you’re an A-lister for a day After a recent top-to-toe renovation, this iconic Knightsbridge hotel has a new vibrant incarnation. Think bold art, fabrics

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. This unique gem of a city is best known for its watery landscapes and exquisite architecture, but beyond its immediate charms it’s surprisingly multi-faceted. It’s hugely attractive

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. This gloriously green tropical isle has something for everyone – and that includes families. Children of all ages are catered for, from action-packed activities for teenagers –

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Brazil has 4,655 miles of coast, and a lot of it is beach. The best country in South America for silky sand and warm seas, it’s also

Cradling a pangolin bigger than a basketball, as it unfurls its scaly rudder of a tail, Amos Gwema is enjoying a special moment. Historically revered in Zimbabwe, the prehistoric mammal is too superior to be considered a totem animal, and finding one is a sign of prosperity. But today any good fortunes are in the

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Many of Bangkok’s huge downtown hotels are excellent bases from which to explore the city with children. Safe, clean and calm worlds of their own, some offer

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Somerset is storied land, often overlooked by travellers rushing through to Devon or Cornwall. Tales waiting to be told include that of King Arthur, King Alfred, medieval

On November 15, Ugandan ranger Scot Guma was killed by elephant while responding to calls from a community struggling with animals crossing over from Murchison Falls National Park. It’s a sad story, which, alarmingly, could become more common across Africa as human settlements expand and wilderness habitats decline. It’s also one of the biggest conundrums

Ambling silently through chartreuse-green reeds, an elephant and her calf have crossed to one of many islands anchored in the Zambezi River. Hot and thirsty, herds are scattered across Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park – some feeding on the pods of winter thorn trees arching over dusty banks; others wading through pools of ruby evening light.   It’s

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Nourishment for the body and soul A marvellous medieval centre, piles of perfect pasta and a thriving university, which is Europe’s oldest, dating from 1088. Bologna ticks