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The no-fly mini-break where you wake up to the twinkling Christmas lights

It’s not often that I would contemplate stepping aboard a ship in winter – I still have vivid childhood memories of the Rosslare-Fishguard ferry during a stormy October.But an affordable, no-fly weekend cruise caught my attention. No airport stress, no battle for the armrest – and the chance to wake up in glittering Antwerp – what wasn’t to like? Not to mention that Ambassador Cruise Line’s second ship, Ambition, is far more luxurious than a low-cost flight.Boarding on the Thames at Tilbury, ju...
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Cornwall’s temperate rainforest is the county's unsung wonder that beachgoers miss out on

Sometimes it’s hard to see the wood for the trees, as the saying goes, but here it’s at times difficult to distinguish the trees themselves, shrouded as they are with lichens, moss, ferns, ivy, flowering plants and other epiphytes growing from them. High atop one majestic tree, an opportunistic rowan is bravely putting down roots, reaching for the sunshine as it depends on its mother oak for support and sustenance.

Here in the rainforest, the air is thick with chlorophyll and oxygen, and the gr
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The five-star winter sun wonder with £100 hotels and an upscale cannabis dispensary

It takes me a minute to put my finger on what’s different as I sit waiting for my bag in the arrivals hall of Koh Samui’s pretty little airport. When I first travelled to Thailand a couple of decades ago, backpack in tow, it felt bewildering and busy. This time, I was prepared to again be bamboozled by oppressive humidity and crowds, fending off over-zealous taxi drivers and prospective scammers.

But no. As bags bumble out on to the lone carousel, they are claimed calmly by families with young
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Why Preveza on the Greek mainland is the perfect way to get away from it all

It’s a scramble to reach the top of hill, but worth every step. Insects bumble lazily between the flowers, occasionally buffeted by the Maistro, the prevailing northwesterly wind from the Ionian Sea, Greece’s Mistral. Far below, a secluded, secret beach reachable only by a narrow path glints seductively back up to us.

Surrounded by dense vegetation in this nature reserve, it feels as if the ground has barely ever been trodden, despite the headland also boasting an archaeological site of what wa
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Spotting sloths and hiking through the cloudforest on a trip to Costa Rica's national parks

It’s quite the crash course on Costa Rica. Rattling along the roads, admiring palm trees and sweeping valleys, we slow on approaching a bridge before – clunk – running into the car in front of us. It appears to be a minor fender-bender, but we hold our breath as the drivers emerge to inspect the damage.

Then, seconds later, both drivers shrug, smile and get back behind the wheel. No insurance details exchanged, let alone cross words.

Perhaps it’s the pura vida mindset that prevails here. The e
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Barcelona travel guide: Where to stay and what to do on a break to this historic city

When to go

With its kaleidoscopic clash of architecture, from Gothic to Gaudi, bustling city beach and endless food and drink options, Barcelona has long been a firm favourite as a summer destination. But visit in the spring or autumn and you can enjoy cooler climes, less crowded streets and a city that is vibrant no matter the month.

In 2022, Barcelona is quieter but no less cool than it was pre-pandemic. You could argue it has reclaimed its soul a little – La Rambla, previously a pickpocketi
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A gourmet winter adventure in Toronto and Niagara's wine country

When I think of a weekend in wine country, particularly at this time of year, I tend to imagine rolling Tuscan hills, or sun-dappled Californian vineyards, and hazy evenings enjoying an al fresco glass of something special.

I never imagined that I’d be donning my snow-proof boots and warmest coat in wine country, nor that I would, once I thawed out, find myself raving about Canadian wine. But it turns out that Canadians do make exceedingly good wine – and winter is a particularly special time t
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Wine and wilderness help make Tinos the perfect Greek getaway away from the crowds

Travel to Greece: wine and wilderness help make Tinos the perfect Greek getaway Flights to Greece resume in mid-July and it is likely to be popular. Head away from the crowds to Tinos, an island of vines and boulders

As I alighted from the ferry in the early afternoon, I got a feeling that I was going in the wrong direction. While a dozen or so people were disembarking on to the island of Tinos, a few hundred were boarding to leave.

I was stumped until, wandering through the small capital, Cho

Travelling alone is more of a challenge than I expected

More of us are travelling alone, but I found it more of a challenge than I expected

A hiker in Hong Kong takes a picture of the city from a walking trail. (Photo by Alex Ogle/AFP/Getty Images)

A hiker crosses the Karwendel mountain range, part of the Austrian Alps. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

There was also a hefty dose of “girl power”: women have more autonomy, and much of the world is now safe to travel in alone. Technology has helped with this, of course - we are contactable at the
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Why Fiji is so much more than a honeymoon destination

Why Fiji is so much more than a honeymoon destination

Harry and Meghan's visit helped to showcase a country where tradition runs deep, with plenty to discover beyond the beaches

There are a few places in the world that perfectly fit the “honeymoon paradise” cliché. Fiji is one of them: the 330-island archipelago, with its thousands of miles of white-sand beaches, palm trees, coral reefs and luxury resorts, has romance in spades.

Despite being a dedicated landlubber, I am keen to cover as much

Exploring The Call of the Wild country in Canada's frozen north

Exploring The Call of the Wild country in Canada's frozen north

A howl goes up, reverberating around the snow-covered hilltop, and is quickly joined by a cacophony of others. The dogs are being harnessed for a morning on the trails, and they are even more excited than the humans – this is their version of “walkies”, after all.

They all vary in appearance and temperament – Alaskan huskies, unlike their Siberian cousins, are not considered purebreeds, and are classed mainly by their affinity for

The ultimate weekend in Dublin beyond the tourist hotspots

How to weekend in Dublin like a local, from its revived distillery district to best places to eat

When to go

Dublin is charming all year round, rain or shine. It attracts huge crowds in summer, but it’s in winter that it really sparkles, with the colder weather offering an excuse to cuddle up in a cosy pub or explore the city’s galleries and libraries.

How to get around

From the airport – around five miles north of the city – the Airlink Express 747 / 757 buses take around 40 minutes to reac

I’m not surprised Harry and Meghan fell in love with Canada… I did too

I’m not surprised Harry and Meghan fell in love with Canada… I did too

The Great White North regularly tops polls of best places to live - and it's easy to see why

Since a trip to the West Coast late last year, my gushing praise has been met with groans, eye-rolls and choruses of: “Oh, have you been to Canada? I don’t think you mentioned it.” Instagram followers are deserting me in droves and even my dad didn’t stifle his yawns over Christmas when I insisted on showing him all my travel videos

This modern hotel is helping bring the Liberties back to life

Aloft Dublin review: A modern base in the heart of historic Dublin

Aloft Dublin has helped bring the city's burgeoning distillery district to life

The four-star Aloft Dublin City, part of the Marriott stable, has landed in Dublin's Liberties district, showing a different side of the Irish capital to visitors who are tired of the tourist traps of Temple Bar.

It claims to be aimed at the "next generation of travellers", and is a shot of youth into one of the most historic parts of the city.

Th
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How to spend a weekend in Zadar: when to visit the Croatian city and all the best places to eat

How to spend a weekend in Zadar: when to visit the Croatian city and all the best places to eat

Croatia-bound? Skip the queues and crowds of Dubrovnik and head for this less well-known historic port on the Dalmatian coast instead

When to go

If you like things a little quieter, and with temperatures around a pleasant 25°C, September is a fantastic time to explore the city, or if high season suits, St Donat’s Musical Evenings in July are the highlight of the summer calendar, with classical perf
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Cheers Franciacorta, Italy's under-the-radar sparkling wine region

“We treat the wine like a baby,” says Jessica, as she fills a glass with precision. “We take care of everything.”

Of course, parents can’t have favourites, but as I take a sip, I find myself immediately charmed by the saten – a silky sparkling wine unique to the ­franciacorta style.

This is one of the more popular bottles here at La Montina, a stylish winery on the edge of Lombardy’s verdant Mugnina Valley. Splashy modern art graces the walls of the tasting room, but it’s the wine that command
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Discover a classy retreat in Marbella — without an alcopop in sight

The Costa del Sol has the dubious honour of being the location of my first ever teenage package holiday without the parents. Two weeks of lurid-green alcopops, full Englishes, bad karaoke, kissing unsuitable boys and general naffness.

I wore too low an SPF and got terrible burn lines (you can always spot an Irish girl abroad by the burns and the “it’ll fade to a tan” protests). And I wore a variety of handkerchief tops (perfect for showing off the burn lines), and spent my time moving from sun
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Why doing absolutely nothing can be brilliant for your mind

When’s the last time you really got away from it all? I wasn’t exactly offline on a visit to Croatia at the weekend, checking emails, posting to Instagram. But I stumbled upon a helpful reminder to unplug.

“We don’t take our coffee standing up like the Italians,” my guide Ivana told me as we strolled past cafes lining the polished pedestrianised streets of Zadar. Nor are takeaway cups a thing – people here like to take their time, sit and savour the moment. Even stranger, I noticed the people w
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Struggling to sleep? This hotel library is full of books that will help you nod off

A friend once told me that her birthday treat is a night away in a hotel. “Lovely, so you and your partner can have a little getaway?” I asked.

“Oh, no. He’s looking after the kids. I just want to chill out, order room service and get a solid eight hours’ sleep,” she said, laughing.

A hotel stay might seem like a dream to a sleep-deprived parent, but I would choose my own bed every time. Yes, I love the crisp sheets and big breakfast, but I don’t tend to get a good night’s sleep in a hotel. Ei
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Discover wild Scotland with a rail trip into heart of the Highlands

It’s all about the long game at Alladale. While the 23,000-acre wilderness reserve looks incredibly wild to my urbanised eye, it’s only a baby as far as the grand plan is concerned.

Almost a million trees have been planted here, but it will be many decades before most of them are at their full height, and the grounds are once again covered in dense forest.

Although tundra-like in parts, the landscape is undeniably beautiful, with splashes of yellow gorse and an occasional haze of purple heathe
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How to climb Everest… without straying too far from home

It’s not unusual for a man of the cloth to embark on a pilgrimage. But when Peter Owen Jones embarked on his latest project, to scale the equivalent of Everest without leaving England, it was perhaps more of a spiritual awakening than he had ever imagined.

“I wanted to see what it would be like to get above the plane, to get some perspective on life,” Owen Jones says. “But I had no idea that what would emerge in the writing of it was kind of what lay deep within me. It wasn’t the book I was pla
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Hiking in Puglia: how to see the heel of Italy on foot

“Would you like to walk with us?” Some friendly-looking hikers are adjusting their backpacks and slapping on sun cream. I decline cheerfully, marching off down the path before, minutes later, saluting the group sheepishly as I retrace my steps.

It is perhaps a sign of my lousy sense of direction that my Pugliese walking holiday begins in Matera – not actually in Puglia at all but neighbouring Basilicata.

My first walk is a short 7km loop in the Park of the Rock Churches, across the ravine from
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Rio de Janeiro holiday guide: drink caipirinhas in Ipanema, and spend the day on Copacabana

When to go

December to March is Rio’s high season – prices are at their highest between Christmas and New Year – but prices fall after Easter, the beaches are less crowded and the weather is still hot, if more humid, from March to May. For nature lovers, September and October are the perfect time to visit the Botanic Gardens, Tijuca Forest (in the hills above the city) and Parque Lage, at the foot of Corcovado. Carnival, in February, is Rio’s biggest draw of the year – but be warned that the we
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