Leave the beach behind and trek Europe’s prettiest mountain range, the Dolomites November 30, 2016 Sun seekers might disagree, but in my opinion there are few better places to spend the summer than the Alps, where you can find dozens of activities to suit everyone from uber athletes to Uber passengers. My family needed a little convincing too, before they’d agree to spend their holidays in the mountains rather than [...]
Lanzarote is far more fun – and far classier – than you probably think November 26, 2016 THE WEEKEND: With year-round sun and a large ex-pat community, this Canary Island has unfairly gained a reputation for being overrun with stereotypical ‘Brits Abroad’. However, breathtaking beaches, a diverse landscape and a new line of luxury resorts have made it an affordable and desirable destination for those yearning for a relaxing getaway. Former PM [...]
One of the world’s most luxurious ski resorts has opened a curious new attraction November 18, 2016 High up a mountain, at 1,550m and with snow all around, my children are screaming with laughter as they’re swept off their surfboards by a giant wave. No, you read correctly; surfboards. We may be in what’s more commonly regarded as a skiing mecca – Courchevel, France – but if there’s one other feature this [...]
The Long Weekend: take a trip to Jersey for beautiful beaches, quaint villages, amazing seafood November 18, 2016 Take a long weekend at the Grand Hotel, Jersey The weekend: The Bailiwick of Jersey (Bailiwick being the term for British Crown dependencies of the Channel Islands, administration fans) has been a summer holiday staple for decades, boasting beautiful beaches, quaint villages, amazing seafood and a genuinely relaxed, welcoming vibe. The small island boasts a [...]
Danny MacAskill is still alive (just) after his breathtaking day out November 18, 2016 | City Talk Risking his neck on roof tiles. Cycling precariously over straw bales. Balancing on a knife-edge on railway tracks… Scots biking daredevil, Danny MacAskill is living (just), breathing proof that Scotland's stunning scenery and fantastic open spaces are the ultimate outdoor playground. Watch. And be amazed…
Fancy some stargazing? Hop on a plane to La Palma, the most stellar of the Canary Islands November 17, 2016 The farthest of the Canary Islands from the coast of Africa has just 80,000 inhabitants, and 150,000 visitors per year. Unlike its rocky neighbours, there is enormous variety on the island, with mountains above the clouds, black sand beaches and a night sky that has made it a must see for astrology lovers the world [...]
Discover a side to Tuscany that the Italians have been keeping a secret from the Brits November 17, 2016 Enjoying an aperitif on my balcony on our last night in Punta Ala, as the sun dipped below the island of Elba, I wondered who deemed this paradise an appropriate exile for Napoleon. With clear stretches of pristine coastline overlooked by rugged volcanic natural parks, it’s a side of Tuscany not often seen by tourists. [...]
Searches for flights to the US plummeted after Donald Trump was elected president November 17, 2016 Whether or not US President-elect Donald Trump's wall will prevent people from entering America, his negative image abroad already has. Since the election results were announced last week, demand for flights to the US dropped globally, new research has suggested. The so-called "Trump Effect", calculated by travel search engine Kayak.co.uk, reported the number of searches for [...]
London business people gave Travelodge some of their most bizarre customer requests this year November 16, 2016 Have you ever asked your hotel staff to help out with a wedding proposal, do your VAT returns or wake you up with a bagpipe serenade? If so, your wish might have landed on Travelodge's list of the most bizarre requests from the last year. A few peculiar questions were simple mistakes made by tourists lacking knowledge of the UK. [...]
Gordon Ramsay interview: Michelin stars, overtaking the French and why his new restaurant, Le Pressoir d’Argent, is something special November 9, 2016 “If I’d tried to open this restaurant 15 years ago, I’d have been shot, hung upside-down and had my bollocks put in that thing over there, the pressoir d’testicle.” Finally, I thought. So measured – serene even – was the Gordon Ramsay sitting opposite me, I’d started to wonder if his famously filthy lyricism had [...]