Lakeside beaches, France Lake Vassivière in the Limousin has something for everyone. We found one of France’s largest artificial lakes while on a donkey-trekking holiday (but that’s another story!). The lake has five lovely sandy beaches with safe swim areas, beach cafes and kayak hire. There are walks and cycle …
Read More »From DJ classes in Ibiza to yoga in the Norfolk woods: readers’ favourite retreats in the UK and Europe
Relax in an ecodome, Lincolnshire I’ve just returned from the most relaxing weekend at Purusha Retreats, south of Lincoln. From the moment we headed up the grassy, tree-lined driveway we knew we’d arrived in relaxation heaven. Set in a countryside location, we slept in private ecodomes, each with hammocks, a …
Read More »‘The air tasted of salty joy, fat seals basking nearby’: readers’ favourite coastal walks in UK and Europe
Winning tip: Walks, wildlife and wine in Portugal The Fisherman’s Trail in south Portugal is magical. We started from Porto Covo and ended in Lagos, walking 140 miles in 12 days, staying overnight in rustic villages, cobblestoned towns and surfer spots. Those short of time can walk a smaller section …
Read More »‘Astonishing, luminous beauty’: readers’ cultural highlights in Europe
Winning tip: Caravaggio in his element, Malta Commissioned in the early 1600s by the Order of St John in Malta, Caravaggio’s masterpiece, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, has been hung in St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta, ever since. It is rare to view a painting in the …
Read More »‘An unforgettable feast’: readers’ favourite restaurants in Europe
Jack Daniel’s steaks, Gdańsk, Poland Set in an old merchants’ house built with Dutch bricks in the old town of Gdańsk, Goldwasser restaurant offers unique Jack Daniel’s-sauced steaks with superb four-course menus including lobster cream soup and mango surprise dessert for 340 złoty (£65). The dark-wooden panelled interior with cosy …
Read More »‘A sandbar peninsula surrounded by crystal clear water and clean beaches’: readers’ highlights of Poland
Renaissance beauty, Zamość The relative remoteness of Zamość, a south-eastern town (only a few buses and trains each day from Lublin), makes the surprise of emerging onto its extraordinary Rynek square even more delightful. Set on an important trading route, with ornate Armenian merchant houses painted yellow, red and blue, …
Read More »‘Chips to die for’: readers’ favourite UK seaside towns
Kingsand, Cornwall Rame peninsula. Tiny beach, endless sea. There’s a seafront pub right there in Kingsand, the Devonport, just up the steps, serving delicious food – or you can just sit outside and look at the sunset. We went to Kingsand for our very first holiday together, my then-lover and …
Read More »‘Your tastebuds will go on their own journey’: readers’ tips on undiscovered Italy
Fly with an angel, Basilicata Visiting Castelmezzano, a town perched against the backdrop of the Dolomiti Lucane, was an accident during my recent southern Italy road trip. This stunning place is worth the detour from the main road cutting through Basilicata, and it comes paired with another beauty on the …
Read More »‘Unzip your tent and take in the magic’: readers’ favourite UK campsites
Seclusion and stargazing, Carmarthenshire Secluded, serene and unspoilt, Dark Skies Camping, near Llandovery, offers camping without the crowds. With just 10 pitches (from £40 a night for two) set within 12 hectares of meadows, which run alongside a mountain stream, this is the perfect spot to unwind and get back …
Read More »‘No cars, just donkeys’: readers’ top tips on off-the-beaten track Greece
Winning tip: Ideal island retreat, Gulf of Corinth Trizonia, in the Gulf of Corinth is a small island visited mainly by Greek families and “yachties”. We spent time there while sailing round the Med, from our home on the Isle of Skye. Filled with olive groves and wildflowers, Trizonia is …
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