10 of the best UK nature festivals for late spring and summer

The natural world is the headliner at these joyous gatherings, while the support acts include live music, immersive art and fire ceremonies

Lochs, bothies and burial chambers: readers’ favourite trips in Scotland

From the epic landscapes of the Highlands and islands to intimate local community events, our readers share their best finds in Scotland

‘Bath, Harrogate … Woodhall?’ A short break in one of the UK’s most forgotten spa towns

The Lincolnshire village, the height of fashion a century ago, offers fascinating history, a woodland cinema, excellent cycle routes and a deeply restorative feel

The perfect base for a Wind in the Willows weekend: a stylish B&B in the Chilterns

Taking a leaf out of Kenneth Grahame’s book, our writer spends a few days getting lost among the woods and riverside villages of Oxfordshire and Berkshire

Route des Vacances: a gastronomic driving holiday from Paris to the Mediterranean

The RN7 road to the Côte d’Azur is enjoying a renaissance among lovers of slow travel in search of offbeat France

‘A kaleidoscope of colour and life’: readers’ favourite UK spring days out

Your top tips for seasonal outings from birdwatching to gorgeous gardens, amazing architecture and more• Tell us about a trip to Spain – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher

Holy parades and earthly pleasures in Spain: Easter in Granada

The ancient city – with its gardens, hammams and Moorish architecture – comes alive in spring and its Holy Week processions are among the most authentic in Andalucía

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

On the trail of Peaky Blinders, Black Sabbath and the perfect pint – an alternative guide to Birmingham

As the Peaky Blinders film is released this week, we follow in the footsteps of the Shelbys, make a heavy metal pilgrimage and find the city’s best places to eat, drink and dance

‘That thrush just did something incredible’: tuning in to bird calls on a North York Moors walk

A guided walk through North Yorkshire woodland throws up some thrilling surprises by honing in on sound over sight

My search for the perfect brown bar in Amsterdam

I swerved the tourist traps and went on a bar crawl of the city’s bruine kroegen, the cosy, dimly lit pubs that are the Netherlands’ ‘surrogate living rooms’

Zoning in on Ménilmontant, Paris: ‘bohemian, arty and off the tourist trail’

This former industrial quartier is now getting noticed for its community-focused art spaces, lively local bars and inexpensive north African food

Rolling hills, rich heritage and great pubs: a car-free break in Leicestershire

This picturesque corner of the East Midlands is a well-kept secret and it’s great for exploring by public transport

10 of the most romantic hotels, pubs, cabins and cottages for a cosy UK getaway

It’s an ideal time of year for snuggling up on a countryside break. We pick accommodation from shepherds’ huts in Somerset to a chateau in Wales

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