One of the great pleasures of life is discovering new places either abroad or closer to home. Choice travels both the world and Britain for superb picture features on great places to experience. As well as big features we also bring you news of travel bargains, new travel developments and offers. Our Cruise News pages will keep you up to date on these popular holidays.
For centuries, Canterbury Cathedral has been a beacon for pilgrims and a target for vengeful monarchs – and wartime bombs. James Henry visits one of Christianity’s holiest shrines. Click here to read the full article.
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Wales's Wonderful Places of Worship Old churches can be the key to unlocking local history. Clive Nicholls makes a lightning visit – by bike and on foot – to some of the most intriguing places of worship in Wales Click here to read the full article.
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Memories are made of this... With travel likely to be restricted for some time to come all we can do is relive holiday memories and build up a wish list for the future. Clive Nicholls recalls some of his memorable travel experiences to tempt you for when times get better. He starts with a spectacular helicopter flight over Ayers Rock.
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Take a walk on the Wild Atlantic Way . Winding 1600 miles around the edge of Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way is one of the world’s most spectacular coastal routes. Norman Wright chooses some highlights. Have you taken a trip in the past or plan to when restrictions lift. Read our full 4 page article here .
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Leukaemia has a reputation as a form of cancer that mainly affects children. But in fact, this is only true of one of the four main types of leukaemia , and even that is relatively rare. The majority of the 10,000 people diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK every year are aged 60 or older.
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I'm weaving through the narrow streets of Ragusa in my little hire car. At every junction, I take the turn that looks like it will take me further uphill. Common sense tells me that at some point I’ll find a spot where I can get a view over the old town. It’s difficult to navigate; buildings press in close on my wing mirrors and I really don’t want to meet a dustcart that wants to share the road – even a bike would be a problem.
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I'm weaving through the narrow streets of Ragusa in my little hire car. At every junction, I take the turn that looks like it will take me further uphill. Common sense tells me that at some point I’ll find a spot where I can get a view over the old town. It’s difficult to navigate; buildings press in close on my wing mirrors and I really don’t want to meet a dustcart that wants to share the road – even a bike would be a problem.
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Some of the world’s greatest scenic drives criss-cross the Highlands of Scotland, especially beautiful in the long hours of summer daylight. But what about in the dark month of January As we skirted the Cairngorms on our way from Perth to Inverness we got our answer.
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It's still dark when my guide Larry picks me up. Just a mile down the road we are soon where we want to be. The sandy soil is crisp underfoot as a sharp frost binds the surface together. Larry, a full-blown Navajo American Indian, checks his watch, nods and within seconds the first rays of sun break over the horizon and cast a wondrous light over the scene before me. This is so much more than sightseeing – it’s almost spiritual and, amazingly, we have the place to ourselves.
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Scotland's richest jewels are found in its rugged beauty. Shining out from the overflowing treasure chest is the Isle of Skye- one of the brightest of gems. Thanks to The Skye Boat Song, which most of our generation probably sang in primary school, Skye is not only-spectacularly beautiful but also one of the best-known corners of Scotland.
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As we strolled through Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens with the freshly fallen leaves rustling beneath our feet, we could imagine Regency bucks in nankeen breeches accompanied by bonneted young women doing just the same two centuries earlier In a captivating combination of greenery and town planning, the mellow-stoned Georgian and Victorian architecture is complemented by the acres of parkland between the buildings – and, of course, the Peak District panoramas all around.
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The last time I was on the promenade between Folkestone harbour and Sandgate was 40-odd years ago; now, as I strolled on a lovely wintry afternoon, I wondered why I had left it so long. On that occasion I was reporting on a big fishing match for Angling Times and was more concerned about not missing a winning catch than enjoying the scenery.
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Now here's question. If you inherited a vast fortune, would you (a) organise an expedition and climb Mount Everest, (b) buy one of the world’s most beautiful houses in a dream location on Lake Como or (c) trek to the North Pole? For me, Everest and the North Pole sound a bit cold, not to mention a touch dangerous, but the house on Como – now you’re talking.
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Autumn in the Baltic states usually features mild temperatures that allow travellers to explore forests, wetlands, islands, gardens and cities, with the bonus of vivid seasonal colour. In autumn, Estonian dishes revolve around nature's bounty: forest mushrooms are foraged, wild game like elk appears on tables, apples are picked from orchards and root vegetables mature.
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My plane landed in Ajaccio on the western side of Corsica. My destination: Sunêlia Perla di Mare resort in Ghisonaccia in the east on the Tyrrhenienne coast of France’s island outpost in the Mediterranean.
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Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, St James’s… they sound like names from a Monopoly board, not real places in the heart of London, one of the greatest cities in the world. Steeped in history, with world-leading museums and galleries, theatres that rival the best on Broadway, and some of the finest restaurants on the planet, London has it all. And the best thing is, it’s just a train ride away – an hour and a quarter from my home in Lincolnshire.
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With its tales of sunked treasure ships, piract, fast living, hard drinking, big game fishing, wealth and the literary genius of Ernest Hemingway, Key West has always had a slightly racy image. And it's all true. It has mellowed with time but as you enter Key West it's hard not to feel that excitement. Key west is at the southernmost tip of the islands of Florida Keys, all linked y the most beautiful stretch of US Highway 1.
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Towering above the Liver building at Liverpool's famous Pierhead we had a wonderful view across the city from deck 18 as, with a mighty blast from the ship's horn, our liner gently drifted away from her berth and moved slowly downriver towards the Irish Sea. Astern, the brightly coloured Mersey Ferry nipped past and headed for Birkenhead on the oposite side of the river.
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As dusk turns to nightfall the mountaintops merge into the darkening sky. It is very serene, very beautiful, with only the hum of the hot tub that I’m relaxing in breaking the silence. I pour a glass of wine and decide to enjoy these magic moments a few minutes more.
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Summer in the city can be a great experience. London has wonderful parks and open spaces, river walks and plenty of things to do for the whole family. Whether you're on a tight budget or able to splash the cash, we have some ideas for days out in the capital.. Free attractions
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The tall white cross stands proud on the hilltop above the village of Hakahau. The walking trail up to the cross is steep but manageable and, taking it steady, I'm there in 20 minutes. It's not the cross I've come to see, however. It's the view across Hakahau Bay- and it's simply stunning. Blue sky, fluffy clouds, turquoise sea, yachts bobbing on the gentle breeze and the star of the show, the cruise liner-cum-supply ship, Aranui 5, alongside the pier.
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Sometime the summer sun that draws us to the Mediterranean can be a touch too powerful. So if you are baking on a Spanish beach or sweltering in an Italian or Greek city the antidote could be a peaceful garden, dappled by shade with fountains and waterfalls making you feel cooler. There are gardens to visit near many of the most popular tourist destinations.
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The leaden skies can't diminish the beauty of the small harbour. Fishing boats gently bobbing in time with the faintest of ripples, couples strolling hand-in-hand,, seagulls floating lazily on the water, historic buildings bleached by the simmer sun framing the idyllic scene. Then, suddenly it just gets better.
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The air is filled with a wondrous sound as the orchestra fires up in the townsquare. Nearby a pop group bells out the best of Abba from another stage and in the distance I can hear a brass band wringing out every ounce of emotion form its saxophone line up.
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The enjoyment of a coach tour is the same whether you're island-hoping on Scotland's wonderfully scenic west coast, sampling tranquillity in the Black Forest or traversing the Flinders Ranges in South Australia heading for Alice Springs and Kakado. Holidaying aboard a coach in 2018, wherever in the world, is far removed from the old-style seaside outing on a biscuit-tin bus coughing and spluttering up the hills. Nowadays you will usually get:
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Snow drapes the surrounding fells and a freshening breeze chases through the streets of Ambleside, but we are settled in comfortable chairs next to an open fire choosing out gourmet dinner with a glass of red wine in hand. The Lake district in winter? We're all for it.
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The big nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engine up front turns over and fires up with a reassuring roar. My pilot, Sean, lets the seaplane drift away from the pontoon as he warms up the engine. We taxi a short was into the harbour then, throttles opened, we skim across the water and the six-seater de Havilland Beaver is airborne. I'm flying in a design classic- this aircraft is more than 50 years old but is so rugged and so perfect for the job it's doing that no-one has been able to improve on it yet.
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With more than 460 ships sailing the world's oceans and 200 plying navigable rivers around the globe, cruise holidays are ever more popular. So popular that those ships took an estimated 25.8 million people afloat in 2017- 1.89 million of them from the UK. Thirteen new ocean liners have 13 river ships were due to have come into service last year and 15 ocean ships and two river vessels are on the order books for 2018
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The grand piano falls silent and an expectant hush descends over the magnificent great hall in the railroad depot on the outskirts of Vancouver.
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the girls that chat excitedly as they dash up the steps of the church. A proud mother, dressed to the nines, shares the moment with her daughter. The church that they are going to is a bit special; it's the church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and stands over the spot where Jesus was born.
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It's still dark when my train rumbles into Hospet Station. It's running late but that's normal- timetables are flexible here. I'm really excited as I get on board, not because the train is he height of luxury- it isn't- but because I'm travelling with the locals for a few hundred miles, and can watch real life unfold as we rumble through tons, villages and open countryside on my way to Madgoan (Goa) in the west coast of India.
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I woke to see a glorious sunrise across the waters of the River Rhone just ripple gently by the wake of our cruise ship. Already a cloudless sky heralded another beautiful day. Herons and egrets lined up every few yards and rival fishermen wih tents and camping stoves on the go were dotted along the banks.
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For a child from the provinces, growing up in the Sixties, London was a magical place, full of fog, beefeaters, guardsmen in funny hats and people, lots of people. In those days, a trip to the capital was a major event, from choosing a bundle of comics to read on the train journey that seemed to last forever to the thrill of riding on the tube for the first time.
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Sheffield was once an industrial powerhouse, internationally renowned for the steel forged in the factories that once dominated the city. Now most of the chimneys have gone (although the Sheffield steel trade does still exist) but the city has forged itself into something new- a modern metropolis with a friendly yet independent spirit.
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Narrow veins of water, bright against the dark rock faces, fell hundreds of feet before tumbling through a bright green band of meadows and plunging into the impassive depths of the fjord. The falls moved seemingly endless supplies of white water from the melting snows high up. The mountain tops still had their patchwork of snow and bare rock so there was still plenty to melt, even though it was only a week away from midsummer.
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My ice cream dribbles down the side of the cone and over the back of my hand. My tongue comes to the rescue.
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This summer, you might be taking a much-anticipated trip to a European city and, undoubtedly, the best way to immerse yourself in the culture, discover the local gems, and meet the most incredible people, is to act like a local. According to a survey carried out by language-learning app Babbel, (babbel.com) , 74% of over 55s feel that they have missed out on something because they can’t speak the local language while on holiday.
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Do they match up with the top 10 revealed in research by holiday cottage website cottages.com ? More than 1000 respondents voted for the British sights and experiencces they most hope to see in their lifetime, from standing atop great peaks in the Lake District to sitting in suspense at Wimbledon. The top 10 were: 1. Stonehenge
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Do they match up with the top 10 revealed in research by holiday cottage website cottages.com ? More than 1000 respondents voted for the British sights and experiencces they most hope to see in their lifetime, from standing atop great peaks in the Lake District to sitting in suspense at Wimbledon. The top 10 were: 1. Stonehenge
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I arrive in Hyderabad at the peak of the evening rush hour. All my senses are in overload. The sights, the noise, the colour and even the spicy smell… all seem larger than life.
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Whether you are waking up in the master bedroom, cooking breakfast in the kitchen or relaxing with the newspaper on the sofa,, you're always bathed un light from a two-storey tall stained glass window. This is a holiday cottage like no other. Livin gin a converted church for a week was an intriguing prospect. The fact that it was on the beautiful Isle of Wight made it perfect.
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The Mountains are hauntingly beautiful, the lake is deep and serene and the town is pretty as a picture. I’m in Zell am See on the shores of Lake Zell and in the shadow of Austria’s Kitzbuhel Alps, with mountains so high that even in the summer the peaks are topped with snow. It’s a special place.
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AS THE coach threads us through the narrow streets from the ferry terminal and out into the winding coastal roads, we get an elevated view of Guernsey – an island of contrasts. Compare the glass office buildings that house the city slickers of the multi-billion pound financial industry, which makes up nearly half the island’s economy, with the ‘hedge veg’ stalls by the rural roadsides selling produce and flowers with honesty boxes making just a few pounds.
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It may be best known for it's thrilling theme parks, thriving potteries and beautiful gardens, but Staffordshire also offers a chance to indulge in award winning glamping too. While it may have just five luxurious yurts, Secret Cloud House Holidays, with uninterrupted views across the Staffordshire Moorlands and Peak District beyond, also offers some quirky treats for the luxury camper.
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THE LAST time I visited Moscow, it was in the middle of a bitter winter nearly 30 years ago, as the first stirrings of Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost presaged the looming collapse of the Soviet system. This time it was at the height of summer, with temperatures around 30°C – and the Russian capital’s Western-style shopping streets could have been in Manchester or Minneapolis, apart from the Cyrillic store signs.
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With hardly a breath of wind the rain-laden clouds hang over Chichester Harbour. The rain starts, not heavy driven rain, but light and gentle, like that from a fine rose on a watering can.
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Plank floors, peeling paint ceilings and an ancient lift big enough to take a car – this building is preserved just the way it was when it changed the world and brought liberation to succeeding generations of ordinary men and women.
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ACROSS EUROPE and further afield, security has had to be tightened, particularly at major sports and entertainment events in order to safeguard the public.
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JUST A mile out from Pigeon Point, the sea shallows rapidly. The boat skipper hauls the big outboard out of the water before the propeller hits the bottom and we glide over the seabed just two feet below.
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Cries of suppressed fear pierced the tranquil air and heads turned to witness the extraordinary sight of two people side by side, in skydiver pose, suspended below zip wires swooping down past the famous domes of Cornwall’s Eden Project.
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The Independence of the Seas is a majestic sight in the docks at Southampton as she prepares for the start of a two-week Mediterranean cruise. The 15-deck Royal Caribbean ship is 1112ft long and 185ft wide, and accommodates 4375 passengers.
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Sitting on the top deck of a gently-swaying tramcar, trundling along a cobbled street next to a grand, balustraded red-brick pub, you could be travelling through an industrial town in the Fifties. This, however, is the 21st century – and at the foot of a sheer rock face in a former quarry on the edge of the Peak District.
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It'still dark when I arrive at the cable car station, but by the time the gondola has whisked me up to its final stop at 6000ft (1850m), the sky has already started to lighten. I need to press on: I’ve got about a mile to walk and 1000ft (300m) to climb before I’m where I need to be. It’s hard not to keep stopping to take pictures, but I’m on a deadline – I want to be at the summit. I make it just in time.
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SITTING HIGH above the mighty Ebro River, the village of Miravet clings to the rock face like a barnacle to a boat hull. Swallows swoop low over the water as they feed in flight while a heron looks to have fallen asleep as he waits for the river to deliver his lunch. The grand Templar Castle looks down on this sleepy yet hauntingly beautiful village in this largely undiscovered region in southern Catalonia.
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As you look down on the wide golden beach at Tenby and along to the pastel-coloured buildings of the old town clustered around the harbour, it’s easy to see why Pembrokeshire is recognised worldwide as one of the loveliest areas in Britain. Beautiful old seaside towns like Tenby and its near-neighbour Saundersfoot as well as smaller coastal villages are just part of the story of this, one of the most westerly of our counties.
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There can be few experiences more memorable than a short break to Amsterdam, one of the most vibrant and historic cities in the world. Amsterdam has many attractions and is renowned for its world-famous museums, art galleries, Dutch masters, historic cathedrals, Anne Frank House, diamonds, tulips, cheese, canals, red light district and much more.
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GET YOUR motor running, head out on the highway.” When Steppenwolf’s driving beat and lyrics to Born to be Wild launched the title sequence of the film Easy Rider in 1969, it encouraged a generation around the world to dream of taking to the road – the road to freedom.
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Steam rose from the water of the Roman baths in the lights that were brightening against the incoming December evening. Floodlights picked out the magnificent tower of the abbey while below it the bustle and excitement of the Christmas market grew with the crowds.
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The view from the top of the ski jump is mesmerising. The whole of Innsbruck is spread out before me and the Austrian Alps form a dramatic backdrop to this beautiful, historic city. The take-off slope looks unbelievably steep and I must admit I’m in awe of the sportsmen (and women) who have the bottle to launch themselves down the hill at 60mph, fly 200 yards and then crashland into packed ice before the safety fence stops them injuring the spectators.
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Standing astride the summit of windswept Kinder Scout, looking down vertiginously on the valley below, you really feel you’re on the rooftop of the realm. What had started out as a gentle stroll from Edale over a partly paved path had ended with clambering over rocks made slippery by a stream – as I found to my cost – then scrambling up scree to the peat-layered peak.
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IN 1914 a small bridge in Sarajevo was the scene of an event that would change the course of history. The Latin Bridge, older than most, and certainly on the pretty side of plain, was in other ways an unremarkable bridge – that was until June 28 in this fateful year.
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Twilight crept up on the domes and roofs of Budapest and, as the clear blue sky darkened to star-studded midnight blue, thousands of lights on the bridges and classic buildings along the banks of the River Danube flickered on.
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Certain British TV dramas have a big appeal to audiences, especially overseas, due to their use of iconic filming locations that show off our country’s best assets to the full. The BBC’s latest historical heavyweight, Wolf Hall, the hugely successful dramatisation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning tome, could become the inspiration for a tour just as Inspector Morse has done for Oxford and Downton Abbey for many of our stately homes, including the location at Highclere Castle in Berkshire.
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It was a grey, overcast morning on Salisbury Plain and patchy rain drifted across the rolling landscape, but the moody day only heightened the mysterious shapes of Stonehenge. I’d not been to see the stones for a few years and was keen to see the new visitor centre and visitor access to this true wonder of the world.
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A huge bull buffalo rolled over in the dusty wallow then with surprising agility rose to survey his domain – the seemingly endless high plains of Colorado to the east and, to the west, the snowy peaks and grey crags of the Rocky Mountains. We had just driven through the Rockies up over Wolf Creek Pass where we crossed the Great Continental Divide. Now we were seeing for ourselves the country we knew only through Western films and books, the land of Indians, cowboys, waggon trains and, of course, buffalo.
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Kings Lynn: Ancient port, close neighbour to the Royal Family at Sandringham and gateway to the fabulous North Norfol coast. I'm staying for a couple of nightss at the King's Lynn Knight's Hill Hotel & Spa, BW Premier Collection for an off-season break to explore the area.
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THERE ARE two ways to cross the mouth of the River Reuss in the centre of Lucerne. You can join the trams, taxis and traffic on the new concrete bridge, or step on to the geranium-bedecked medieval covered wooden footbridge and stroll across to the old town admiring both the view and the paintings on the eaves of the roof at intervals along its diagonal route.
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Northern Arizona is where nature meets neon. Standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon is like looking over the edge of the world, but that dizzy precipice is not far from another world – the jukeboxes and vintage Cadillacs of Historic Route 66.
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On Choice for a recent family cruise was the seven-night Western Med fly/cruise on Norwegian Epic, departing from Barcelona, with visits to Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Marseille, Palma and back to Barcelona.
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There can be few drives anywhere that can match the Antrim coast route in Northern Ireland, and it’s even better when you can enjoy the ever-changing seascapes from the elevated viewing platform of a luxury coach.
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Old Father Thames, muddy-grey and rolling through at top speed today, is certainly the key to the tale of our oldest royal borough – a story of the crowning of ancient kings, medieval markets and Tudor hunting parties, through to pioneering warplanes. Kingston upon Thames has exactly the sort of history that Kipling’s poem imagines. Its bridge, however, can tell a few tales of its own. For hundreds of year it was one of the most important crossing points – the first upstream of London Bridge from Saxon times until Putney Bridge was opened in 1729.
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As the sun rises over the Mount of Olives, the first rays of sunlight flash across the Kidron Valley and illuminate the rooftops of Old Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is like a magnet for the sun, the golden dome gloriously reflecting the start of a new day. Jerusalem wasn't on my plan for today; my main visit will be later in the week. I'm in Israel staying in Tel Aviv and day-tripping out from there.
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Early morning, and the drains and reed beds of Avalon Marshes live up to their mythical name. A light mist drifts over the flat fen landscape, while a couple of miles away Glastonbury Tor looks out over this legendary domain of King Arthur and his Knights of Camelot.
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There's something special about Dent Station. It’s the highest main line station in England, nestling 1150ft up in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. On the Settle-Carlisle line, it was built in 1877 and over the years has witnessed huge changes to Britain’s railways. And there’s another thing that makes it special: the station building has been converted to luxury holiday accommodation, sleeping up to six.
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Profile: Hugh Grant
Enjoy Britain: West Sussex
Discoveries: A Scottish road trip
Celebrating 75 years of RSPB Minsmere
Treasures: The National Horse Racing Museum
Health:
• Staying happy and health in old age
• A Yoga exercise to try
Beauty: Jilly Johnson’s top tips
Technology: How much do we rely on the internet?
Looking back:
• Heroes: Colin Cowdrey
• Remembering: Minder
Plus: Craft & sewing projects, food & drink, garden news, garden birdwatch, puzzles pages, book, DVD and CD reviews.
