The Egadi isles are said to have inspired the mythical islands in the Odyssey. Today, the largest of the group is a quiet place of blissful beaches, fresh fish, neon seas and ice-cream breakfasts I cycled into birdsong, into colour, the light glimmering against the white of the low stone walls. There was a spaciousness…
A 30-mile route has opened up along this spectacular river that’s great for beginners but has challenges for more experienced paddlers too It was a morning of brooding green banks and dark skies on the River Tweed. Heavy rains had hit southern Scotland and the waterway had turned into a fast flood, with the deluge…
Tell us about your camping holidays in the UK – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break With the weather slowly starting to improve, it’s time to start planning camping trips in the UK. We’d love to hear about your favourite places to camp. Maybe it’s somewhere wild near the sea, or a…
A new website aims to offer a wide network of walking routes from British train stations, and is calling on hikers to add their favourites. Our writer accompanies the founder on a ramble to Bath Spa station A British railway station can be many things. A place of tended flowers and toytown paintwork. A concourse…
Rather than bomb down motorways for marathon stretches, the idea was to see new things along the way, such as the great lakes of Germany and a Renaissance town in Italy How far would you go – and how long would you take – to avoid flying and thoroughly embrace the idea of slow travel? In…
The best way to understand the city is through its food, and the best guide is a Michelin-star chef who knows where to find succulent doners, crisp calamari and rich taramasalata Saturday morning, 10am, and I’m sitting at a café table on a cobbled street in the Beşiktaş neighbourhood of Istanbul, sipping a glass of çay (Turkish…
The broadcaster knew she had a link to the central Asian country she first visited on her gap year 30 years ago. But retracing her steps, this time with her mother in tow, she made a big discovery about their family ‘Can you read what it says?” It was 1992 and I was standing in…
From London to Tirana, via Chambéry’s medieval streets, bustling Bari and Albania’s dynamic capital, this trip across Europe has treats at every turn My overriding memories of crossing countries by train, on a trip from London to Albania, are of half-empty carriages and countryside sweeping past windows bathed in the soft orange glow of sunset.…
The founder of the Bradt travel guides and author of a new memoir has been thumbing lifts all over the world since her teens – and has no intention of stopping now ‘‘No one hitchhikes any more, do they?” I often hear people saying this and am proud to reply that I’ve hitchhiked every decade…
Our tipsters navigate Alpine passes, serene backcountry and dramatic coastlines across Europe, stopping off for the odd hike, cycle or dip in the sea Driving through the Tuscan hills, the sun beginning its slow descent in the hazy, glowing heat on an August evening was one of the most exquisite experiences I have ever had.…