Europe and Middle East

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in Europe and Middle East. independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

Ferrara Via delle Volte. andy mossack

Ferrara. Emilia Romagna’s hidden gem.

Ferrara, with its ancient palaces and piazzas is a pearl of the Emilia-Romagna region. A region famously productive for so much of Italy’s attraction.

Read the full story here
Up Helly Aa

Up Helly Aa. Discover Shetland’s Fire Festival.

A hundred years from now, Shetland’s fire festival, Up Helly Aa, will be the stuff of legend; a litany of morphed tales of Viking lore handed down over the generations

Read the full story here
Guide to walking La Palma Santa Cruz Street

Guide to walking La Palma. Discover dream landscapes in the Canary Islands

As I taxi down the runway at La Palma airport, I have the sea on one side and the mountains on the other. This is going to be challenging hiking.

Read the full story here
Hankies Marble Arch 1

Hankies Marble Arch. Delicious Indian Fare off Park Lane.

Hankies Marble Arch is a food triumph for Chef Arora who quite rightly tells me “with small portion sizes, you have to have a realistic price point and I believe we have a perfect balance.” I have to agree, with the most expensive item at £9 it is a highly affordable evening out in central London.

Read the full story here
Chilston Exterior

Chilston Park Hotel. Enjoy acres of luxury in the Garden of England.

It’s the sort of venue with its crammed treasure trove of antiquarian maps, ceramic plates, grandfather clocks, historic manuscripts and oriental prints and vases which could not just host The Antiques Road Show for a weekend but for an entire series.

Read the full story here
Inspira Santa Marta Hotel Fachada Inspira 24

Inspira Santa Marta Hotel. Discover Lisbon’s romantic hideaway.

Mix in lots of Feng Shui design, stir in some socially responsible touches and add stacks of sustainable stuff – then hey presto, taste the Santa Marta experience.

Read the full story here