‘A lesson like no other’: readers’ favourite learning holidays
From surfing to singing, mastering a new skill can add an inspiring new dimension to a holiday. Our tipsters share their most rewarding experiences
Pottering in the Potteries: exploring the museums and ceramics studios of Stoke-on-Trent
As a new series of The Great Pottery Throwdown hits the screens, an honorary Stokie explores Josiah Wedgwood’s legacy and the six towns – and gets some clay on her hands
Happy new you! 10 of the best UK wellbeing retreats for 2025
Get the year off to a positive start by booking a restorative break. We pick the best wellness retreats, with yoga, swimming, walking and more in pretty settings from the Highlands to Essex
Joyce McCrindle obituary
Other lives: Primary school teacher whose love of travel opened up the world of art and history to the children she taught
Snowshoeing and rescue monks: a monastery escape in the Swiss Alps
Only accessible to snowshoers and skiers in winter, the Grand St Bernard Hospice has been a refuge for centuries and is the perfect place for a meditative mountain break
A winter’s trail: seasonal UK walks from Somerset to Scotland
The stark landscapes of mid-winter are the best time for enjoying the elements on these routes. Our writers tell us the personal stories behind their favourite hikes
Away with Adam Liaw: ‘One of my pet peeves when travelling is people who say they’re happy to go with the flow’
In Guardian Australia’s new series about travel, the Sydney cook and TV presenter explains why decisive people make the best travel companions
Vive la différence: a long weekend in Strasbourg and Paris
Two cities just a few hours distant, yet miles apart in terms of culture, crowds, and metropolitan swagger
The gentle magic of walking in Somerset’s Mendip Hills
John Harris and family revisit the first halfway serious hill-walk they made in a landscape that’s more comforting than challenging – just what they’re looking for at this time of year
Deserted beaches, wild rivers and seaside chill: four days walking in NSW’s largest coastal park
The Yuraygir coastal walk in northern NSW offers 65km of beachy bliss broken up by tiny towns with food and shelter – ideal for hardcore hikers and ragtag families alike
‘At the top it’s a different world, crisp and pure’: readers’ favourite winter walks
From golden Cornish sands to a Highland trail with beavers, our tipsters choose atmospheric walks to blow away the cobwebs
On the waterfront in Helsinki – a zen regeneration game
The world’s most sustainable travel destination is giving its harbour a facelift with an eco-friendly hotel that whispers cool Scandi minimalism while reconnecting guests with nature
Where in the world? The Christmas travel quiz
From flags to film locations, test your travel knowledge with our fiendish picture quiz
‘Bookings open 12 months in advance’: when to plan your Christmas 2025 holiday
Australian travel experts share the dates to save for securing your next summer getaway, and the destinations trending for 2025
Paris to Berlin by train is now faster by five hours. We try out the new service
The new direct daytime route, via Strasbourg, sweeps through enchanting landscapes from vineyards to forests. But some say it needs to be quicker still if the train is to be more attractive than flying