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…
Spa bliss in the Alps: hot springs and hiking in the shadow of Mont Blanc
An autumn break in the French mountain town of Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains offers thermal treatments and glorious walking trails before the winter ski crowds descendMont Blanc is hiding behind the clouds, but the Aiguille du Midi spears the sky…
‘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…
‘It’s hard to imagine the fires of July’: a bike ride through the Cairngorms in Scotland
Wildfires raged through the national park this summer, but much of the landscape remains untouched – and autumn is the perfect time to goIn the Cairngorms national park, the bracken is changing from dark green to russet and umber. Birch leaves are lined…
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…
Saunas, cinnamon buns and coastal scenery on the new rail route from Malmö to Oslo
A new direct train service connects the far south of Sweden to the Norwegian capital in just over six hours, with the option of stopping off in the seaside town of Varberg or lively Gothenburg en route‘This carriage is due for modernisation. Don’t miss…
‘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…