Looking for a little break from the buzz and hubbub of The Dam? Want to see one of Europe’s most celebrated medieval cities? Keen to get lost amid fairy-tale church spires and cobbled streets? The perfect place might just be over the border in Belgium: Bruges. This UNESCO World Heritage city is a photographer’s, history … Read more
The capitals of Norway and Sweden sit almost directly in line with each other across the great Scandinavian Peninsula. One, Oslo, is nestled at the base of its own wild fjord, sporting glistening modern architecture and enthralling museums dedicated to the age of the Vikings. The other, Stockholm, is anchored on the fairy-tale Gamla Stan … Read more
There are 530km of Scandinavian fjords and icy Baltic waters and wild Nordic forests between the two great cities of Copenhagen and Stockholm. But don’t let that put you off planning a trip that sees you exploring the both of them. This guide delves down into all the modes of transport that can help you … Read more
If you simply can’t decide between the glorious exhibition rooms of The Hermitage and the twisted onion domes of Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the totemic sights of Red Square and the elegant Winter Palace of the onetime tsars, you could just do the whole lot. You’ll need to plan a Russian holiday that takes in both … Read more
Banks and businesspeople have turned Zurich into one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Today, folk flock in for board meetings, but also to see the wonderful Old Town and its Grossmunster church, or the glistening lake and bergs of the Alps beyond. To continue that adventure, an obvious next stop on the itinerary … Read more
Milan to Florence – it’s a trip that’s sure to whet the wanderlust. First, you’ll hop churches that have paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and devour saffron risottos in vintage Italiano cafes. Then, you’ll head south to the fabled capital of Tuscany. There, masterworks of Renaissance architecture meet priceless relics in the Uffizi Gallery, while … Read more
It’s around 208 miles from the English capital to the unofficial capital of The North, on a route that crosses the heartlands of the United Kingdom. It means going from a buzzing megacity where Big Ben and the soaring Shard keep watch, all the way to an atmospheric town of old Victorian industrial quarters transformed … Read more
So, you’re looking to swap a chic and sleek financial hub for the beer-sloshing capital of Bavaria? Excellent. Both of these enthralling cities should be on any Germany bucket list. Thankfully, they are very well connected, so smashing the 190 miles between the towns shouldn’t be hard. Whether you want to jet over to the … Read more
You might not know it, but Frankfurt actually rivals Berlin in size. It’s the epicentre of a metro area that has a population of nearly six million. It’s also the country’s financial capital, and the home of its largest airport. That all means a trip from one to the other is a trip between two … Read more
The journey from Madrid to Valencia takes you straight across the heartlands of western Spain. Between dusty sierras and the lands where one Don Quixote used to roam, it could be a 190-mile, multi-day odyssey filled with flamenco dances and tastes of Manchego cheese. Or, you could smash it in less than 1.5 hours, which … Read more
Once you’re done soaking up the rays on the Algarve’s award-winning beaches and tasting the fresh seafood of the south coast, you might want to plot a course north to the culture-rich, party-mad capital of Portugal. That’s Lisbon, which lies some 218km away, beckoning with its grand Age of Exploration architecture and formidable Moorish castles. … Read more
Hallstatt is a real fairy-tale town. Flanked by the green summits of the Salzkammergut, it’s a medley of gingerbread houses with steep gables and wood-carved balconies, all strung lazily along the edge of a mirror-like lake. Wanderlust stoked? Good. The trip in from the nearby city of Salzburg is easy to make. It’s just 31 … Read more
Charge the camera, prep the walking poles, and wax down those hiking boots – Interlaken is Switzerland at its most adventurous. Straddling a narrow isthmus between opal-hued Lake Brienz and turquoise Lake Thun, it’s the gateway to the wonderful Bernese Oberland, where trekking paths weave around glaciers and the mighty summits of the Eiger and … Read more
So, you’re looking to get to Geneva from Zurich? It’s easy to see why. Glistening lake waters, the outline of the Alps and even Mont Blanc, the amazing exhibits of CERN, and a charming old town all await in this bustling city of western Switzerland. Thankfully, the journey in from the banking hub of Zurich … Read more