Advice

Amsterdam is a city that celebrates individuality, encourages quirkiness and delights in difference. It has a long history of riches and rebelliousness. The glory-days of the 17th century, the über-cosy 1800s, the counter-culture explosion of the 1960s – they’ve all left tidelines along Amsterdam’s canals: opulent gables, Rembrandt and Van Gogh, barrel-lined cafés, gardens of

Amsterdam delivers the goods when it comes to memorable experiences and attractions. With canals weaving through the city, gabled buildings providing glimpses of a bygone past, and myriad museums portraying the importance of Amsterdam’s role in history, it is a city full of extraordinary things to do. From sitting in a swing high above the

The fourth and final series of superlative drama Succession hits screens this week. The Sky Atlantic satire follows the exploits of the dizzyingly wealthy and highly dysfunctional Roy family, who are jostling for control of their father’s media empire – and as well as plot twists, it provides plenty of travel inspiration.  While much of

Some things are non-negotiable – first-timers really shouldn’t leave Copenhagen without at least once strolling along the waterfront at Nyhavn or succumbing to the twinkly charms of Tivoli amusement park. But there are plenty of other experiences to keep you happily busy too, from picnicking on board a little boat as you float through the city’s

Paris in the springtime is usually considered a lovely little jaunt. However, in recent days concerns have been raised about the escalation of strikes and protests in response to France’s proposed pension reforms.  On a coordinated day of action on March 23, hundreds of thousands took to the streets of the French capital, leading to

Manchester’s music scene is thriving and there’s a diverse range of venues in the city, from intimate rooms at the back of historic pubs to huge concert halls. The Manchester Arena, near Victoria railway station in the city centre, is the UK’s biggest indoor arena and hosts some of the world’s top performers as well

No point looking out for the pennies on your next weekend break in Manchester, because the pounds will be disappearing before your eyes. Next month the city will become the first in the UK to impose a tourist tax on visitors. From April 1, overnight guests in city centre hotels will be charged £1 per

You can have an extremely pleasant time in Bath wandering the streets, admiring the peerless Georgian architecture and reliving history through the words of Jane Austen. For culture, pick from the dozen or so museums – if you do just one of the best things in Bath, make it the Roman Baths. For exercise, venture

The challenge when visiting Rome is deciding what not to do: there are so many churches, archaeological sites, piazzas and paintings to see that a lifetime is hardly enough. Don’t try to cram too much in; Rome moves at a slower pace than many northern Italian cities, and to enjoy it you should take time out

Forget gratuities, cocktails and pampering spa treatments, one of the easiest ways to rack up a huge bill on a cruise holiday is to splash out on excursions. It’s easy to be tempted, especially with the impressive array of tours on offer, but the cost (often running into three figures) can be a proverbial sting

Cavallo, France In the treacherous waters between Corsica and Sardinia, little Cavalló has beaches of otherworldly beauty – opalescent bays with pale fine sand between gigantic granite boulders, sculpted as though by Henry Moore – and an intriguing past. First it drew Romans, who cut columns from its granite to build their Eternal City; then,

All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating. Our expert writers are usually hosted on a complimentary basis in order to gain the first-hand experience necessary for their review. Catalonia’s colourful capital combines everything that is most

When looking for ski resort challenges, the natural place to start is with the proportion of black runs. The more black there is on the piste map, the more likely it is that the resort will step up to the mark for thrillingly steep and long descents, whether smoothly groomed and fast, or left ungroomed

All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating. Our expert writers are usually hosted on a complimentary basis in order to gain the first-hand experience necessary for their review. Staying in a small, stylish hotel adds something

Perhaps the most surprising twist in Netflix’s adventure thriller Outer Banks – now in its third season – isn’t a plot twist at all. Only the most dedicated of set-jetters would realise that the series isn’t actually filmed in the windswept barrier islands of North Carolina of the same name – instead, the crew (and

All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating. Our expert writers are usually hosted on a complimentary basis in order to gain the first-hand experience necessary for their review. Centuries-old sandstone colleges cloaked in creeping ivy, tiny

Umbria, Italy Visitors to Umbria’s Piano Grande in spring might also be lucky enough to spot snakes’ head fritillaries. “One of Europe’s finest upland plains, it situated above 4,000ft, ringed by mountains,” says Tim Jepson, our Italy expert. “In late May and early June it is renowned for its extraordinary floral displays: swathes of wild

Arguably the most formal and quintessentially British of any cruise line, Cunard proudly holds its heritage high – even though its founder Samuel Cunard was Canadian and the line is now American-owned. Yet, from the smartly painted black hulls and distinctive red funnels to elegant interiors that include impressively expansive libraries complete with requisite hush,

In the UK, romantic hotels are not in short supply, but from its picturesque pastureland, to its handsome little market towns and idyllic villages of honey-stone houses awash with roses and hollyhocks, the Cotswolds looks resolutely made for romantic breaks. It helps, of course, that the region also offers an impressive range of striking and

All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating. Our expert writers are usually hosted on a complimentary basis in order to gain the first-hand experience necessary for their review. As Oscar Wilde once wrote, ‘nothing succeeds like