Literary escapes: your favourite trips inspired by books
From Dervla Murphy’s Northern Ireland to Elena Ferrante’s Naples, readers share the stories that inspired them to travel
Denmark’s ‘Cold Hawaii’: the artfully cool surf zone on the Jutland coast
Surfers nicknamed it in the 90s, but this rugged coastline is becoming a hotspot for contemporary art lovers too
Walk in the footsteps of gods, heroes and monsters: five trips to mythical Greece
Discover where supplicants consulted Apollo in Delphi, the infant Hermes hid stolen cattle and where Poseidon created a love nest for a sea nymph
From cool Marseille to a photo-feast in Arles – an art trail through Provence
The French cities of Marseille, Aix, Avignon and Arles boast a wealth of museums and festivals showing work by contemporary artists. Here’s how to make the most of a dazzling cultural summer
Fancy a European art break with fewer crowds? Try one of these five cities
Forget queuing at the Louvre or the Uffizi. You’ll find a fresh perspective on everything from medieval to modern art in places like Lille, Verona and Zurich
‘The heart of Munich’s underground scene’: exploring edgy Schlachthofviertel
Butcher’s shops and dive bars sit side by side in a district where you can swap the touristy beer halls of the city centre for raw creative energy
‘It feels like an independent republic’: Madrid’s new arty barrio of Carabanchel
This traditional neighbourhood ‘across the river’ is where the city’s creatives are heading as the centre heats up
‘Neighbourhood renaissance’: once noble La Sanità in Naples is open for business again
After decades in the shadows, the residents of this historic quarter came together to launch local businesses and make the area an attractive proposition once more
Time-travelling in Cantabria: from the stone age to Sartre via the ‘prettiest town in Spain’
On the north coast of Spain you can see some of the world’s oldest art, explore a stunning medieval village, then watch surfers ride Atlantic swells
‘Walking is the best way to discover offbeat Corfu’: a spring hike across the Greek island
Explore wild scenery, empty beaches and beautiful villages on the 110-mile Corfu trail, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year
Mysterious Marrakech: why I never tire of Morocco’s Red City
With its never-ending street theatre and labyrinthine markets this timeless city swallows you whole – and reveals new secrets with each visit
Walking with the weavers 200 years after the Lancashire uprising
Former mill towns in the West Pennine Moors tell the story of the workers’ rebellion against power looms, the new machines decimating their livelihoods
Cool design and wild art on a city break in Metz, north-east France
The small city in the Lorraine region has been put on the map with the aid of two Parisian heavyweights – a loan from the Pompidou Centre and designer Philippe Starck’s quirky new hotel
Why western Sicily is Italy’s emerging arts hub
Art is helping to revitalise Sicily’s ghost towns and deserted urban spaces, with the earthquake-hit town of Gibellina becoming Italy’s first Capital of Contemporary Art
How the ‘Lowry effect’ is rejuvenating Salford and Manchester: a tour of the artist’s old haunts and new shrines
There’s a lot more to LS Lowry than his matchstick men. A visit to the artist’s hometown reveals how his legacy helped turn a derelict dockland into the thriving creative hub of Salford Quays