Europe and Middle East

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

51 Buckingham Gate

51 Buckingham Gate. London

So here you are, riding in a horse and carriage, following the exact route of Kate and William’s royal wedding with your own princess by your side. The only things missing are the crowds and the mounted guards of honour, but you can’t have everything can you.

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Golf in Madeira

“Remember Andy, the greens here always slope towards the sea.” I was being reminded about this again by my playing partner, who knew every inch of this fabulous course, as I sized up yet another tricky putt,   I suppose a little sigh was not out of order given the situation I found myself in.

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Golf on the Costa Brava

September 2008 was quite a special month for the Costa Brava. It was, no less, one hundred years old.  Ferran Agullo wrote an article in the esteemed Catalan newspaper La Veu de Catalunya in September 1908, where he described the ‘rugged coastline’ around Girona as the Costa Brava which is Catalan and Spanish for you […]

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Epic Sana Algarve

Building a 5-star hotel from scratch is quite an epic challenge in anyone’s book, but opening three of them in the last 6 months is on another level entirely.

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A Weekend in Riga

Riga is a walking city, just the right size for a weekend break, and the old town, which has now been fully restored to its former colourful glory, contains many hidden gems that you’ll just stumble across when you explore all its little winding back streets.

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French Cookery Lessons: French Houseparty Style

From filleting fish to spinning sugar, my 6 day “Gourmet Explorer” french cookery course at the French House Party near Carcassonne was a culinary delight.

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