New York’s got its mojo back
From Blue Note to Woody Allen, jazz was the soundtrack of New York. It went quiet for a while, but the joints are jumping again. Singer Tessa Souter offers an insider's guide.
If you can’t make it there, try … the new Ronnie’s
Ronnie Scott's club has been the hub for the jazz scene in Britain for nearly 50 years.
Klimt’s Vienna
Simplicity Austria is offering weekend art tours of Vienna giving an insight into the work of Gustav Klimt.
Surreal on sea
This summer, the Belgian coast has been turned into a vast open-air sculpture gallery.
Rock chic
The surreal landscapes of Basilicata have inspired a generation of film directors. Now the area is getting its own glamorous makeover.
Designer Deutschland
Germany has an impressive history of pioneering design. Here Christopher Wilk, curator of the V&A's current Modernism exhibition, highlights five examples of seminal German style.
The unbearable lightness of Barnsley
An extraordinary work of art in a Yorkshire field brings the sky almost close enough to touch.
A spiritual journey
The hushed atmosphere of Capel-y-ffin has attracted monks, poets and artists for centuries. Ben Mallalieu can understand why.
When in Rome …
... don't listen to the Romans. Especially when they burn models of your building and call it a cesspit. Richard Meier tells Steve Rose about his controversial new museum.
The hotel wonders of the world
Forget low-key boutique hotels, architects are upping the ante with a new breed of mega-hotels destined to become landmarks in their own right. Deyan Sudjic charts the rise of the 'statement' hotel.
New age New Mexico
From DH Lawrence to Jack Kerouac, New Mexico has long been a magnet for artists, misfits, seekers and visionaries. Writer Henry Shukman pays tribute to the otherworldly appeal of his desert home.
Life swap
David Munk and family trade their inner-London routine for a five-week crash course in how to live like Sevillanos.
Top study breaks
SpanishSpend two weeks learning Spanish in vibrant and intoxicating Buenos Aires, Argentina, and spice it up by combining it with tango lessons. For some weekend diversion, mildly endanger your safety with a Sunday football match. Price: Approx £380 for a two-week course, excluding accommodation.School: Babylon-Idiomas, www.babylon-idiomas.com
Italian immersion
Inspired by her Latin roots, Christina Ongley plunges herself into a two-week language intensive in Siena and deciphers the true meaning of cultural tourism.
I ♥ NY but will a New Yorker fall in love with me?
With Valentine's Day looming and no sign of romance in London, Will Hide brushes up his Hugh Grant impersonation and heads to New York, dating capital of the world. They'll fall at his feet. Won't they?