‘I watched the children uncurl’: people share stories of affordable UK camping holidays
Readers recall summer sunrises, paddleboarding and outdoor adventures – and all for much cheaper than other breaks
‘An idyllic escape from the world’: Slovenia’s Jezersko valley
An eco farm in this unspoilt valley, just an hour from Ljubljana, makes a great base for mountain forest hikes, lake swims and homemade organic feasts
Snowy peaks, orcas and an antique shop – the abandoned Norwegian fishing village that’s enjoying a revival
A handful of returning locals and adventurous tourists are breathing new life into Nyksund, a remote coastal outpost in Norway’s wild northwest
‘It doesn’t have to be like an Airbnb’: how to travel through house swapping and sitting
While it can be a wallet-friendly way to holiday, exchanging homes or minding someone else’s isn’t for everyone. Here, frequent travellers share their tips
‘It’s nature at its purest – remote, quiet and rejuvenating’: readers’ favourite wild places in Europe
From kayaking between icebergs in Iceland to a Pyrenean hideaway, our tipsters know how to get away from it all
‘It feels as though the mountains are ours alone’: family-friendly hiking in the French Alps
The ‘wonderfully wild’ Grand Tour de Tarentaise trail caters for experienced hikers and first-timers, with cosy mountain refuges offering the perfect place to recharge
It’s not all money, money, money here; the mellower side of Croatia’s Mamma Mia island
Beyond the tourist haunts there’s another side to Vis, with quiet beaches best explored by kayak and paddleboard, vine-covered hills and affordable waterside restaurants
Holidaymakers in the UK: what did you do for your UK summer break in 2025?
We want to hear about your summer holiday experience
James Joyce went by train from Dublin to Trieste. A hundred years on, it’s a very different experience
It is more than a century since Joyce crossed Europe by rail but there is still inspiration to be found on the overland journey to Trieste
The secrets of lost luggage auctions: I bought four bags for £100. What would I find inside?
Unclaimed suitcases were once destined for landfill. Now people are ‘suitcase gambling’ – bidding for bags and their unknown contents, and diving deep into strangers’ lives
Tell us about your favourite place for late summer sunshine in Europe – you could win a holiday voucher
Share details of a late summer break you’ve enjoyed – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
‘I’ll be Poirot’: the Orient Express is back – but what is it like to ride?
It comes at a steep price, but the remodelled luxury train now immerses passengers in the country’s culture as well as passing through stunning scenery
Breakfast in Amsterdam, aperitifs in Vienna: how to make the most of your time in Europe’s sleeper train hubs
To maximise the thrill and romance of taking a night train, our rail expert recommends the best cafes, sights and facilities near your departure station
Sleeper hit: how Europe is revelling in the return of the night train
With a bucket list of journeys that would take her from Palermo to Trondheim and Istanbul, our writer rekindles her love affair with long-distance train journeys
‘Warm and fuzzy’: would you cuddle a Highland cow?
Last year, two South Australian farmers were ‘going broke’. Then visitors became entranced by their Highland herd