An art and architecture walk to Castle Ward, County Down

A choice of routes around one of Northern Ireland's most beautiful estates. The 18th-century mansion is an eccentric marvel and the grounds are filled with original features such as Lady Anne's Temple

An art and architecture walk to Kinver Edge, Staffordshire

A good trek around the borders of Worcestershire and Staffordshire, taking in landscaped glades and ancient woodland, glorious views from an imposing sandstone ridge, the remains of an iron age hill fort, and Kinver's extraordinary carved rock houses

An art and architecture walk to the Hermitage, Perthshire

You are in good company when walking through the magnificent woodland of the Hermitage. The likes of Wordsworth, Mendelssohn and Turner took inspiration from this gorgeous landscape. A superb walk utilises a selection of woodland paths

An art and architecture walk to the Pineapple, Falkirk

The Pineapple, which has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1973, is unquestionably an arresting focal point to the beginning and end of this lovely walk which travels along well-maintained woodland and countryside paths

A street art treasure hunt in London’s Shoreditch

Nell Card turns detective in her own neighbourhood, following texted clues on a street art hunt around Shoreditch

Fly to Brittany, spring gardens break and three of the best alfresco arts events

The newly accessible French coastline, green-fingered forays and outdoor screenings and concerts at stately homes

Palm Springs makeover

A clutch of new hotels are trying to turn Palm Springs into the Hamptons of the West Coast, but they'll never kill its blissful 1950s feel, says Stephanie Theobald

Sicily: the art project that saved a town

An ambitious project has transformed the run-down and semi-abandoned heart of Favara, in southern Sicily, into a modern art exhibition

Le Corbusier’s holiday home on France’s Côte d’Azur

The architect spent his summers in a tiny cabin on the Côte d'Azur – and there's not a slab of concrete in sight, as Liz Boulter discovered

10 of Tokyo’s best works of architecture

Tokyo's ever-changing skyline is a diverse jumble of modern architecture, from soaring shards of glass to eccentric 1970s living capsules. Ashley Rawlings picks 10 of the most distinctive buildings

Will Self: why I hate London’s Trafalgar Square

Controversial novelist Will Self thinks Trafalgar Square is an ultra-naff London landmark that would be improved with market stalls, cafes and Lord Nelson being cut down to size

‘Surrounding modern buildings show no respect for the Tower of London’

Simon Jenkins: The iconic 11th-century citadel, with its ancient walls, streets, steps and turrets has been let down by a towering failure on the part of City planners

The best cities around the world for specialist shops and shopping

From kitsch fashion in Tokyo to furniture in Copenhagen, our experts reveal their top cities for specialist shopping

Mexican folk art in Oaxaca

It's worth bringing a spare bag on a trip to Oaxaca in Mexico, says Gemma Bowes, to bring back some of the beautiful traditional folk art still made in every local village