Long Weekend review: We get ahead of the game with an early detox retreat in the south of France December 19, 2016 The weekend: If your idea of detox sounds like it would be better in the part of the world where wine, bread and cheese are considered food groups, this stay marries Provence's relaxed lifestyle with yoga, hiking, circuit training and restorative spa treatments. Though you’re not allowed to sample the wine – not until you’ve [...]
Suited and booted in beautiful Vietnam: how to do Da Nang in style December 19, 2016 Vietnam is not the kind of place I expected to need a suit. Shorts, sunblock and mosquito spray, sure. But tailoring was not on my check-list. While Thailand, Malaysia and to an extent the Philippines all have an established super-luxe travel market, Vietnam – at least outside of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi – [...]
Long Weekend review: If all they want for Christmas this year is a trip to Lapland, why not try out this winter wonderland in the UK first? December 9, 2016 The trip: Embrace festive fever and head to an immersive elfin experience near Ascot for an exciting encounter with Mother and Father Christmas. This is something for the whole family to enjoy, following a trail through an enchanted forest to sample a day in the life of elf apprentices, preparing food and toys for the [...]
Jump in a sea kayak and take to the iceberg infested fjords of Greenland December 9, 2016 The iceberg looming above me is the size of an apartment block, yet despite its enormity the frozen seascape is eerily silent. I am sitting in my kayak with eight other paddlers in one of Greenland’s enormous Arctic fjords. All that breaks the calm is the snap, crackle and pop of the ice. Then, as [...]
Fancy some gluhwein? Yeah you do. Here are the best Christmas markets in Europe December 6, 2016 The traditional Christmas market has existed for centuries, and for the most part has remained relatively unchanged. Nativity scenes depict the birth of Jesus Christ, carol singers drop festive beats and boozed up revellers stave off the freezing temperatures with Gluhwein and roasted chestnuts. But while London has certainly enjoyed its own festive renaissance of [...]
Edinburgh: a city of lights offering a box of delights December 6, 2016 | City Talk The festive season is a magical time. Comforting childhood memories of twinkling city centre lights, carol singers and sipping hot chocolate mingle with familiar festive music and echoes of the butterflies once felt before meeting Santa in the local department store. Today, the hot chocolate might have been supplanted by a mug of warming mulled [...]
Brexit is bringing European “shopcationers” to London to do their holiday shopping December 5, 2016 Spanish and Italian shoppers are set to hit the streets of London in droves this weekend to bag bargains ahead of Christmas. Since the EU referendum, the weak pound has made London a prime destination for "shopcationers", or people travelling from abroad with the intention to shop, new data suggests. Read more: Christmas shopping will be cheaper this year [...]
Leave the beach behind and trek Europe’s prettiest mountain range, the Dolomites November 30, 2016 Sun seekers might disagree, but in my opinion there are few better places to spend the summer than the Alps, where you can find dozens of activities to suit everyone from uber athletes to Uber passengers. My family needed a little convincing too, before they’d agree to spend their holidays in the mountains rather than [...]
Lanzarote is far more fun – and far classier – than you probably think November 26, 2016 THE WEEKEND: With year-round sun and a large ex-pat community, this Canary Island has unfairly gained a reputation for being overrun with stereotypical ‘Brits Abroad’. However, breathtaking beaches, a diverse landscape and a new line of luxury resorts have made it an affordable and desirable destination for those yearning for a relaxing getaway. Former PM [...]
One of the world’s most luxurious ski resorts has opened a curious new attraction November 18, 2016 High up a mountain, at 1,550m and with snow all around, my children are screaming with laughter as they’re swept off their surfboards by a giant wave. No, you read correctly; surfboards. We may be in what’s more commonly regarded as a skiing mecca – Courchevel, France – but if there’s one other feature this [...]