Inside the lair of the She-Wolf of France: why you should visit Castle Rising

Norfolk seat of the Plantagenets and once home to Isabella, wife of King Edward II, this fortress is a trip that satisfies the mind, lifts the spirit and takes its visitors back in time

Open your eyes to Britain’s hidden history. Here’s our pick of places to explore

From prehistoric stone circles and cave art to castles, houses and galleries, our writers pick their favourite spots for a day out

‘Really cool, day or night’: readers’ top modern European architecture

From a giant Gulliver in Spain to a sleek basking whale in Budapest, readers tip 10 destinations with stunning contemporary buildings

Where tourists seldom tread, part 2: five great UK towns left out of the guidebooks

From Cumbernauld to Guildford, we celebrate more unheralded but revelatory areas

12 destinations marking the arrival of modernist Britain

In the centennial year of modernism, we visit visionary places where artists, engineers and architects imagined the future

Brooding beauty: why Carmarthenshire is Wales’ best-kept secret

With its glacial lakes, silky beaches and verdant hills, it’s a wonder this brilliant county for walking is often overlooked

All God cons: camping in churches has a record year as UK staycations boom

As conventional campsites fill up, more holidaymakers are discovering the joys of ‘champing’ – and silent nights

Estuary Essex … exploring the grimy but lovely Thames near Tilbury

The Observer’s architecture critic discovers a fascinating collision of industry, historic churches, waterfront and wildlife

10 virtual tours of spectacular buildings around the world

Mughal palaces, Egyptian tombs and modernist masterpieces can be experienced in VR tours that depart from your sofa

Playgrounds grow up: ‘It’s not all the plastic, very engineered play spaces anymore’

After decades of off-the-shelf design, Australian playgrounds are becoming more sophisticated, more nature-based and more appealing to adults

Not fade away: the joy of a ghost-sign spotting walk

An urban stroll can become a journey into the past for those alert to the faded beauty of hand-painted adverts on old buildings

Stories and spectacle: climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge for a First Nations view

Tourist attraction BridgeClimb has been reimagined from a First Nations perspective as part of Sydney festival

Giant underwater ‘jellyfish’ roundabout becomes latest Faroe Islands tourist attraction

Already a hit on social-media, an infrastructure project linking the two largest islands is set to become a big draw for foreign visitors

10 hidden gems of local UK architecture: readers’ travel tips

This eclectic pick from the Outer Hebrides to East Sussex celebrates unsung buildings spanning the centuries, simple and ornate

Where Wes Anderson films ‘accidentally’ come to life

A new book portrays striking locations from Lisbon to Alaska brimming with the great director’s aesthetic appeal