10 places to see in the winter solstice in the UK and Ireland (that aren’t Stonehenge)

The longest night/shortest day is celebrated at the famous prehistoric site, but there are many other atmospheric locations to welcome the returning of the light on 21 December

The magic of winter in West Cork, where music, food and drink lift the spirits

Ireland’s southernmost tip has been reinvigorated by new vibrant venues, markets and restaurants, which has brought an energy that brightens even the darker months

Is the party over for Belgrade’s club scene on the Danube?

Raft houses, known as ‘splavs’, became synonymous with the hedonistic nightclub scene in Serbia’s capital. Now they are being cleared from the river to make way for luxury flats, bars and shops

‘I’m here for the ghosts’: an after-dark walk through Istanbul in search of its soul

The author of the Istanbul-set Inspector Ikmen novels takes a trip into the Old City’s thrilling and turbulent past

‘Joyce and Hemingway loved lingering here. I can see why’: readers’ favourite small cities in Europe

Art nouveau cafes, Ottoman architecture and beer halls make these modest cities a big draw away from the crowds

My rail journey to Naples and Pompeii to chase the last rays of sun

A trip from the UK in search of late-season sun leads to fresh discoveries in Pompeii as well bonus trips to Procida and Paestum

Exploring the Silk Roads: 10 stunning sites in 10 countries from Turkey to China

There are extraordinary places to see and adventures to be had along the strands of the ancient Asian trade route

On the Silk Roads: adventure and historical riches in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan

A new British Museum exhibition gives a taste of the rich cultures along these ancient routes, but a trip to central Asia offers much more – stunning architecture, moreish food and wild trekking

‘I stood on the sunny hilltop imagining I was a Roman’: readers’ favourite ancient sites in Europe

Celtic coins in Jersey, vast Neolithic structures in Spain and France, and a Roman bath or two feature in our tipsters’ picks from antiquity and beyond

Roman holiday: just beyond the city lies a land of popes and emperors

Less than an hour from Rome, Nepi and the Tuscia region is an under-the-radar cultural and historic hub – and councillors are working with the local community to welcome more visitors

Vincent van Gogh’s Arles: visiting the pretty Provençal city that inspired his greatest masterpieces

The scenes of some of the paintings currently on show in London’s National Gallery can still be found in the southern French city

Communal dining is Copenhagen’s best-kept culinary secret

Eating out in Denmark can be costly, but a growing number of child-friendly community supper clubs in the capital offer affordable feasting with the locals

Trainspotting from the bathtub: why Manchester’s newest bolthole is on the right track

You don’t have to be a railway buff to enjoy the Station Agent’s House. The restored Georgian gem is a perfect base for exploring the historic Castlefield district

‘A perfect place to build a film community’: a tour of Scotland’s island movie clubs

The Sea Change film festival on Tiree is a DIY affair that celebrates women and also connects communities on a series of small, scattered isles

Waterford revival: the reinvention of Ireland’s oldest city

From Viking history, to its wild coastline and even its ‘damp’ weather, Waterford has taken its natural assets and run with them