Europe

[ad_1] Simultaneously mountainous and coastal, beloved by devoted hikers and sun-worshippers alike, on the face of it Albania seems like a cultural melting pot with Greek, Italian and Turkish influences leaving traces over the centuries. But delve a little deeper and let the Ancient Illyrian land and language reveal itself; it’s one of strength, resilience […]

[ad_1] With a sixth of the Netherlands reclaimed from water, a pretty tree-lined canal, peaceful lake or scenic harbour is never far away. Endless stretches of sandy beach trace the contours of the coast, from the peninsulas of Zeeland with their whitewashed beach houses to the untamed Wadden Islands in the north. As for culture,

[ad_1] Take a photo in any Netherlandic city, and whatever thing of beauty you’re aiming to capture will almost certainly be photobombed by another: the bicycle, in all likelihoods the iconic Omafiets (‘Granny Bike’), matriarch of all Dutch models. High-handlebarred, curve-framed, robust yet elegant, somewhere about her cargo there’s a clue to the nature of

[ad_1] Our microguides series is inspired by the slow travel movement, encouraging travellers to relax their pace and take a deep dive into one particular neighbourhood in a well-loved city. Rather than a whirlwind itinerary which aims to hit up every must-see attraction, these compact, close-up guides encourage you to zone in, take your time

[ad_1] Malta’s archipelago sits in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, its nearest neighbours Sicily and Tunisia. Most famous for being hot and sun-drenched for more than 300 days of the year, what these surprisingly small islands lack in size they make up for with natural beauty and a fascinating 8,000 years of history; layers

[ad_1] We cycle back to the hotel in a neat line, spokes whirring, weaving through a patchwork of silver-green olive groves. In flat fields uninterrupted by high-rises or clunky machinery, the odd worker toils by hand in the evening sun, maintaining the grids of knarled, ancient trees, some with trunks as thick as oil drums.

[ad_1] Our kids, aged seven and four, love a sleeper train. So when my wife and I settled upon a resort in the beach town of Ulcinj, Montenegro for our family summer holiday, I immediately started to research the possibilities of getting there by rail. It would be no mean feat, but an overland journey

[ad_1] Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Combining medieval splendour with groundbreaking architecture, an abiding respect for tradition with a sunny Mediterranean disposition and temples to art with shrines to fashion, Barcelona has exploded in popularity in recent years. Luckily, the

[ad_1] Our new microguides series is inspired by the slow travel movement, encouraging travellers to relax their pace and take a deep dive into one particular neighbourhood in a well-loved city. Rather than a whirlwind itinerary which aims to hit up every must-see attraction, these compact, close-up guides encourage you to zone in, take your

[ad_1] Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Paris: so much to see, do, eat, shop, admire and ogle, so why bother splurging on an expensive bed for the night when you’re hardly going to be there? Before you go roughing it,