The reluctant camper: 15 easy tips to make you love life beneath the stars
If you think nights under canvas aren’t for you, think again. The experts reveal how you can turn camping from a daunting ordeal into a brilliant adventure
Millennials: have you recently taken a cruise for the first time?
We want to speak with people under 40 who have holidayed on a cruise ship in recent times, particularly those with young families
Tackling the wild Rhône on a bikerafting adventure in France
You never get bored on a trip that switches from cycling along country lanes to paddling down rivers – and takes in picnic stops and wine-tasting, too
Where tourists seldom tread, part 11: five British seaside towns with hidden histories
Some of the less-loved and gently crumbling British resorts still teem with hidden pleasures, for those who care to look
Share a tip on lesser-known Turkey and you could win a holiday voucher
Tell us about off-the-beaten track places you love – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
Walking the Netherlands’ new long-distance Salt Path
A new hiking route in the far north of the country is helping to connect visitors with rural communities and giving churches a new lease of life as B&Bs and art studios
10 of the best regions in Europe for sparkling wine
The bubbles don’t just stop in champagne country. Here’s where to find the fizz from Germany to Romania via Dorset and Catalonia
Out with beach days, in with star-gazing: how holidays turned nocturnal
Travel companies are reporting a surge of interest in people wanting to get away from light pollution and into nature
The dark side of the ‘summer of a lifetime’: young Britons exploited in jobs at Mediterranean party resorts
Observer investigation finds many tempted by seasonal roles in sun-soaked holiday spots end up working illegally and living in squalor
Channel hopping: seaside, cycling and more on Jersey, Guernsey and Sark
For a flight-free summer holiday with a castaway feel, we take an overnight ferry to the Channel Islands
‘Everything carries a hint of myth and magic’: six great island escapes in Europe
From the Med to the Atlantic and the North Sea, our writers choose great offshore idylls offering peace and perfect beaches
Ten great ideas for August bank holiday
From wild days in Sussex to a Fab Four fest in Merseyside, there’s something for all the family in our pick of upcoming events
‘There are empty sands even in high season’: readers’ favourite island breaks in Europe
Small islands turn simple pleasures into lasting memories. Our tipsters enjoy tavernas, beaches, footpaths and sealife from Rum to Andros
How an ebike gave me the legs to tackle Switzerland’s contours
A new 240-mile cycle route from Lucerne includes spectacular alpine views and pastoral backcountry – with delicious local cheese and wine
In search of Monet’s wild landscapes: a glorious art adventure in central France
Rouen, Paris and London are better-known Monet destinations, but rural La Creuse’s rugged gorges, spectacular lake and medieval castle really captivated the artist