Healing waters: 10 of the best spa towns in Europe for a restorative autumn break
From Alpine valleys to belle époque towns, dip your toes in the therapeutic waters and steaming mineral pools at spa hotels offering centuries-old healing treatmentsIn 2021, Unesco designated 11 historic spa towns across Europe as one transnational world…
‘Vibrant, design-led and surprisingly green’: why the Dutch city of Eindhoven is perfect for a relaxed arty break
After electronics giant Philips left, the city reinvented itself as a multicultural hub for creativity and innovation, and the home of Dutch Design WeekA baggily clad skateboarder’s wheels clatter across concrete floors, the noise bouncing off exposed…
My search for the perfect Italian aperitivo in Verona
The classic pre-dinner drink and snack combo varies depending where you are in Italy. In this fair city, it’s an institution that can even be enjoyed first thingI arrived in Verona, I admit, without a particularly clear idea of what aperitivo meant. In…
I travelled all over the country on a €63 monthly rail pass: readers’ favourite holidays in Germany
From cycling in Berlin and the Black Forest to world-class cocktail bars in Cologne and magical North Sea beaches, readers share their travel tips• Tell us about a sunny autumn break – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucherIn an often overlooked corner…
‘The champagne of pale ales’: my search for the perfect kölsch beer in Cologne
‘Kölsch is not a drink, it is a religion’ in Cologne, and it’s only brewed in and around the German city. But which of the many beautiful, storied beer halls serves up the best?There’s a saying in Cologne, repeated with the mild smugness of people who…
Taking a deep dive in Helsinki’s subterranean city
Under the Finnish capital lies a world of swimming pools, go-karting tracks, playgrounds – and even an art galleryThe moon is an impostor. Swimming backstroke beneath its surface, I look up at craggy hollows in close relief. White rock undulates in all…