Bristol holiday ideas: How to plan the perfect UK staycation August 27, 2024 Bristol is a varied, multicultural city unlike any other, with a rich and sometimes troubled history. Here’s how to plan the perfect weekend there. THE WEEKEND: For 1,300 years, the world has sailed in and out of Bristol. Explorer John Cabot pioneered trading routes across the Atlantic, and in doing so discovered Newfoundland; the infamous [...]
Take a road trip on the Southwest 660 August 5, 2024 Escape the office early on a Friday and head straight for the coast. The UK’s newest long-distance road trip, the Southwest 660, wraps 660 miles along the seafront from Bournemouth in Dorset through Devon and Cornwall, finishing at Watchet in Somerset. It is conveniently divided into 50-mile-long sections, several of which can be completed in [...]
I drove a canal boat to Stratford-upon-Avon – it was the ultimate UK spring break April 9, 2024 Sophie Ibbotson took out a boat called Poppy with some friends
Bologna is the REAL food capital of Italy – here’s why March 27, 2024 A weekend break in Bologna will always be about the food – with its UNESCO porticos and unique cuisine it's Italy's biggest secret
Why Simon Rogan’s Cumbria is the ultimate UK staycation March 25, 2024 The ultimate UK staycation: Sophie Ibbotson swaps the fells for feasting in the Lake District THE WEEKEND: The Cumbrian village of Cartmel has a remarkably strong claim to be the gastronomic capital of the northwest, and might just offer the perfect UK staycation. Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan has three phenomenal restaurants here, plus a shop [...]
The poshest picnic in the UK: why it’s worth booking Glyndebourne 2024 March 18, 2024 A picnic at the historic house of Glyndebourne is a highlight of the better weathered seasons, and one of the poshest pursuits in Britain, says Sophie Ibbotson f there is a recipe for the perfect summer evening, warm weather, extensive gardens, and al fresco dining are surely indispensable ingredients. At Glyndebourne in East Sussex, your [...]
Visit arty Amsterdam, beyond the sex shows and cannabis cafes March 12, 2024 If the thought of stag parties, cannabis cafes, and seedy sex shows leaves you cold, that is no reason to write off Amsterdam. In recent years, the Netherland’s largest city has been working hard to get rid of its tacky reputation and reinvent itself as a more sophisticated tourist destination, with a strong contemporary art [...]
Why the remote Wakhan Corridor is your travel bucket list destination for 2024 December 5, 2023 The Wakhan Corridor is a land that's been largely forgotten by the outside world. Sophie Ibbotson went to explore
This Lake District hotel has three incredible UK chefs and one Michelin star October 9, 2023 Three culinary hotshots are building the Lake District’s most exciting gastrotourism destination at the Gilpin Hotel, says Sophie Ibbotson It is often said that “too many cooks spoil the broth” but Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is counting on healthy rivalry to drive innovation in its kitchens. The Cumbrian hotel, which occupies a magnificent 100 [...]
Why Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan is your next adventure holiday destination September 4, 2023 After writing the first official guidebook, Sophie Ibbotson tells us why Karakalpakstan is the new destination adventure holiday seekers need to book ‘‘How can you write a guidebook about Karakalpakstan? There’s nothing for tourists here!” Those words will echo a long time in my ears, and they must rate amongst the last things a guidebook [...]
