The wine region of Porto and the Douro Valley are a must visit for plonk fans October 21, 2016 Douro is “Tuscany before the crowds”, a land forever locked in an annual cycle of wine making, olive picking and almond harvesting, a rural idyll that became electrified only after the 1950s. Leave Porto, whose historic centre is a Unesco world heritage site, and cross the Serra do Marão mountain range, and the city gives [...]
Can Toronto seriously become the North American city break of choice? October 14, 2016 As the cab from the airport inched forward in nose to tail traffic towards the distinctive skyline in the distance, I already knew I was going to be charmed by Toronto. While beaches and mountains are all very well, I’m a city girl at heart and the lure of late night shopping, museums and a [...]
Long Weekend: Inside Paris’ magnificent The George V hotel, where you can spend an entire weekend without leaving the premises October 14, 2016 This is one of Paris' ultra-luxury Palace Hotels – here's the lowdown on our recent stay. The weekend: When you’re laying down well over a grand for a night in a hotel – and that’s without your bircher muesli – it had better be good. For a special occasion, a short hop on the Eurostar to [...]
Long Weekend in Wallops Wood Cottages: This baby-friendly cottage retreat is perfect for families October 10, 2016 Hidden off the back roads in the beautiful Meon Valley, Wallops Wood Cottages offer a perfect rural retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. Less than a two hour drive from central London these relaxing holiday homes are an ideal destination for families looking for a long weekend or short trip to the [...]
Renting in Havana: How Airbnb started its own Cuban revolution October 10, 2016 On the face of it, Cuba is everything you imagine it to be. Cuba libres drunk on verandas in the tropical heat, Fidel Castro’s tobacco plantations for his Cohiba cigars, taxi-rides in buffed vintage cars, horse rides in the rainforest, palm-fringed beaches and salsa rhythms. But as vibrant and appealing a destination it is, there’s [...]
This extract from the print version of Atlas Obscura highlights five of the world’s oddest tourist attractions October 3, 2016 "When we launched the Atlas Obscura website in 2009, our goal was to create a catalogue of all the places, people and things that inspire our sense of wonder,” says co-founder Dylan Thomas. “We wanted a way of finding curious, out-of-the-way places that don’t often make it into traditional guidebooks – the kinds of destinations [...]
Long Weekend review: How to get some rest and relaxation on Europe’s most notorious party island September 30, 2016 The weekend: For many years, Ibiza was defined by its drugs and decadent party scene, the capital of banging clubs and, well, banging. While its hedonistic days are far from over, pockets of the island are settling down with a degree of refined elegance. Decent restaurants and the arrival of all the big name hotel [...]
Long Weekend review: Stunning architecture and peerless service make Budapest a serious rival to more famous European cities September 23, 2016 The city: It’s not difficult to see why the so-called Paris of the East draws favourable comparisons with more famous capital cities. It has the majestic architecture, such as the stately parliament buildings and Buda Castle, skirting a suitably imposing river, but also a faded grandeur bestowed by its array of elegantly decayed public baths [...]
Cradle baby alligators and zoom along the Everglades in a weird boat – it’s Florida baby! September 23, 2016 F lorida has a fearsome reputation for hurricanes, alligators and hanging chads, but in this vast sea of crazy, there is an island of tranquility. Its name is Fort Lauderdale. Long established as a place to go for fun in the sun, with a long sandy beach, the wild beauty of the Everglades, and easy [...]
Skyscanner acquired by Chinese travel giant Ctrip in a £1.4 billion deal September 19, 2016 | City Talk Edinburgh-based travel search company Skyscanner has been acquired by Chinese travel giant Ctrip in a £1.4 billion deal. Ctrip, a Chinese online travel agent, claims two thirds share of the market in China. Headquartered in Shanghai, it was founded in 1999 and began life as a review site, then branched to hotel business and across [...]