Black, Brummie and proud: a walking tour of the real Handsworth

The Birmingham neighbourhood is hugely significant in the Black British story – a history seemingly unknown to Tory MP Robert Jenrick – as revealed on a guided walk that remembers Nelson Mandela and Benjamin Zephaniah

Like a place in one of his fairytales: exploring Hans Christian Andersen’s homeland in Denmark

With turreted castles, quirky museums and offbeat art, the island of Fyn where the author grew up is a place of myth, magic and adventure

Six of the best autumn city breaks in Europe for an overload of culture and fabulous food

From Athens’ beach-studded – and still warm – coastline to the ancient food markets of Palermo

‘Like it had been put on Earth specially for me’: readers’ favourite European city breaks

From the later summer glow of Marseille to polar nights in Tromsø, our tipsters choose their favourite cities

The Exmouth factor – exploring the south Devon beach town by bus, train and on foot

Easy to reach by rail and a seafood-lover’s paradise, Exmouth is a perfect place for decompressing, with walks and boat rides on the doorstep

Six of the best stress-free European breaks by train

From a Dutch beach break to a forest lodge near Paris, there’s no flight or car required on these relaxing jaunts

Six of the best stress-free UK breaks by train

From a posh Scottish bothy to a new budget hotel in the Lakes, there’s no driving required on these relaxing jaunts

‘Hop on the boat and wake up in Spain’: readers’ favourite ferry breaks from the UK

From Rotterdam to Bilbao, our tipsters recommend the best trips by ferry

‘Immortalised by Monet’: the enduring seaside charm of Trouville, Normandy

The impressionist painter was much taken by the stylish villas and unique light of the French port, which 150 years on still refuses to be outshone by glitzy big sister Deauville

‘It landed like an alien spaceship’: 100 years after Bauhaus arrived, Dessau is still a magnet for design fans

The German city is celebrating the renowned art school’s centenary with exhibitions, digital tours and bike and bus routes connecting landmark Bauhaus buildings

Six of the best farm stays in Europe for delicious local food in glorious countryside

Tuck into great food and drink at hotels, farms and B&Bs in France, Ireland, Portugal and beyond

James Joyce went by train from Dublin to Trieste. A hundred years on, it’s a very different experience

It is more than a century since Joyce crossed Europe by rail but there is still inspiration to be found on the overland journey to Trieste

Laid-back Noord: a scenic antidote to the crowds of central Amsterdam

A four-minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal is an easygoing world of floating homes, art galleries and inexpensive waterside bars

Where tourists seldom tread, part 18: three seaside towns that defy the tides of fashion

Ayr, Bangor and Millom routinely bring up the rear in coastal town polls, but they offer a calmer alternative to the brash traditional seaside resorts

‘The river becomes an otherworldly bayou’: five of the best paddleboard and kayak adventures in the UK

Navigating to a backwater pub or brewery and paddling around one of Britain’s last wildernesses is a magical way to explore