Douro
Plain Sailing on a Douro River Cruise
…the bridges and houses of Regua give way to layer upon layer of slopes braided in vines as the river narrows and the banks draw closer, embracing us in their unbridled beauty. […]
Special Feature
Europe
Discovering La Palma, again
Bejeques (house leeks) the size of small bushes burst from cracks in dry-stone walls. Sweet peas, snapdragons, and California poppies devoured whole sections of embankments outside traditional cottages. On grassy tracks between hamlets, wild flowers – proud tajinastes and aromatic wild lavender – took over the reins. […]
Bute
Relax and refresh by escaping to Scotland
It’s a comfort blanket; a sense of feeling relaxed, being amongst kin and of escaping to a world scripted by Bill Forsyth with hints of Irvine Welsh thrown in to add that essential realistic grit. […]
Europe
The seven marvels of Portugal
A wee bit of research uncovered it was a competition which had been held every year since 2007, each year involving a different aspect of Portugal’s many natural and human-made attractions. It was like finding a direct insight into a ‘best of’ the country as known by residents. […]
Bavaria
There’s no guarantee you’ll like this travel destination
There’s history as rich as anywhere, Roman ruins, golden beaches, forests, plains, scenic ridges, Moorish castles, traditional towns, sprawling vineyards, more gastronomic specialities than you’d find in a trendy London deli, the people are exceedingly friendly, and there’s the Virgin Mary on a giant mule. […]
Europe
The best and worst travel experiences in 2018
We’ve just returned from a short visit to Britain to deliver training sessions on these and so now can take the foot off the pedal and, before we look forward, take a moment or two to remember the best and worst travel experiences we’ve enjoyed, or not, during the last twelve months. […]
Europe
Eight reasons to visit Arrabida Natural Park in Portugal
It’s not that Arrábida Natural Park is a secret; Portuguese holidaymakers know all about it. But, apart from a handful of more inquisitive travellers, other nationalities are generally conspicuous by their absence. […]
Europe
Salted fish and sandy beaches on the Troia Peninsula
On a sizzler of a day in mid May, when the Sado was a mill pond, we finally got around to finding out what Troia was actually like. […]