‘We hiked green volcanoes near Barcelona’: readers’ favourite day trips from cities
Our tipsters revel in rural escapes and dips in the sea on their city breaks from Gdańsk to Lisbon
London to Vilnius: my rail odyssey to the Baltics
As the construction of a high-speed line ushers in a new era for travel between Poland and Estonia, our writer takes the slow train and explores cities that are new to him
Three castles, three days, three writers in Wales’ border country
Over an early summer weekend, three writer friends trek through the hills of Monmouthshire, mapping the medieval lordship of Three Castles
From a sauna to an ice bath in Scotland: my full immersion in hot and cold therapy
A peaceful woodland estate in Aberdeenshire now offers wellbeing breaks with adrenaline-boosting Nordic-style treatments
Tell us about great places to eat at the British seaside – you could win a holiday voucher
Share details of a great cafe, restaurant or foodie pub by the sea – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
To the end of the Amazon in Brazil: ‘there are forms of life here that I never knew existed’
On the final leg of his Amazon adventure, our writer arrives in Brazil, where he looks at efforts to revive tribal cultures and to protect wildlife in the world’s most fascinating environmental battleground
The train in Spain: seeing Andalucía by rail
The Moorish cities of Seville, Córdoba and Granada are connected by fast trains making them the ideal destination for a whistle stop tour
A high-wire family adventure in the Swiss Alps
Farmers once used a cable car network to move between mountains in Switzerland’s Engelberg region. Now tourists can use them to follow a new hiking trail
Skip the coast: three of Europe’s loveliest lakes to visit – by travel experts
Three writers pick their favourite lakeside getaways in France, Germany and Italy, with boat trips and great places to stay and eat
Swanning around the Austrian lakes: a trip to Carinthia
Austria’s southernmost province has 200 pristine, swimmable lakes, adrenaline-fuelled activities – and saunas with a view
‘Stunning lakes and majestic mountains’: readers’ tips from Europe
Dramatic scenery, gleaming lakes and unspoilt views take the fancy of our adventurous tipsters, from France to Albania
‘We constantly think about food’: a chef’s tour of Tunis
A local cookbook author guides our writer around the Tunisian capital, from patisseries and upmarket restaurants to the true belly of the city’s food scene
Across Turkey by train: riding the Mesopotamia Express
With lengthy stops for side trips, this long-distance journey is a joyful, social experience accompanied by great food and music
‘My escape is going north’: heatwaves begin to drive tourists in Europe to cool climes
Whether swapping the south of France or Mallorca for the UK or Scandinavia, rising temperatures are changing habits
‘Walking away from the world in Scotland’: an easier way to plan long Highlands hikes
A new website aims to give people more confidence on multi-day, self-guided hikes, and sees our writer – who’d previously had to abandon a wild camping trip in the area – return in triumph