‘A missing link in ancient Scottish history’: on the trail of the Picts
Pictish stones are the relics of a long-lost civilisation, and visiting them in Scotland makes for a fascinating trip starting in Edinburgh then heading north
Leeds must: 10 hidden gems to see during the city’s Year of Culture 2023
Leeds’ year-long festival is the perfect time to visit – and explore its ornate architecture, dynamic art scene and Britain’s only gaslit cinema
An arty weekend in … north Norfolk
Discover Rachel Whiteread in a PM’s parkland, Emin and Freud in the pub, and a picture-postcard beach
An arty weekend in … Southend-on-Sea, Essex
The seaside town hosts a street-art festival and the world’s first digital art park, while nearby Leigh is packed with galleries
An arty weekend in … Bishop Auckland, County Durham
The former mining town is home to Velázquez, Murillo and El Greco, the art of pitmen, and its own artist-designed tweed
An arty weekend in … Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway
A haven for artists since the 19th century, the harbour town of Kirkcudbright offers art walks, trails and a resident Rembrandt
An arty weekend in … Petworth, West Sussex
Lee Miller, Frank Auerbach and Picasso have all starred recently at this pretty market town’s eyecatching new gallery
An arty weekend in … St Davids, Pembrokeshire
In the first of a new series of art-inspired field trips, we explore the tiny city that is home to Wales’s first contemporary art hotel, Graham Sutherland exhibitions, and an epic coastline to sketch
Where tourists seldom tread, part 4: five UK towns with hidden histories
Heritage is as good an excuse as any to enjoy a pie and a pint. Here are more excellent reasons to visit places that rarely feature in the guidebooks
We took the kids to Corsica without flying – by adding three days of adventure
A thrilling tour of the mountainous island – with two small boys in tow – takes in beaches, culture and dramatic scenery
Rail route of the month: in the footsteps of railway pioneers through Austria
Our slow travel expert reflects on a milestone in early railway history as she takes the Railjet from Salzburg to Vienna
Off the Mersey beat: a tour of Liverpool’s unsung cultural treasures
A magical mystery tour of the city reveals brilliant art, architecture and stories – with only minimal Fab Four interludes
Immersed in sea, snow, sand and silence: a winter break in Lithuania
A 60-mile sandbar dotted with forests and icy lagoons, the Curonian Spit’s buried villages, elk and elemental beauty attracted Sartre and De Beauvoir
Mange tout: 10 of the best food festivals in France
From a 15,000-egg omelette and four courses of figs to a famous lemon carnival, here’s a foodie tour de France
Barcelona’s ‘other’ great architect: five of his finest buildings
Catalonia’s design gems don’t begin and end with Gaudí. The works of Lluís Domènech i Montaner deserve a closer look on the centenary of his death