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…
I hitchhiked from Sydney to Perth, and found comfort in the company of strangers
The lost practice of hitchhiking is a subculture, an art, and a way of travel that satisfies wanderlust like no other trip. Plus, it costs nothingGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailI’m alone, hunched over by a dusty road junction, and feeling the…
‘A candlelit spa, followed by an ice-cold plunge and a nightcap’: readers’ favourite European wellbeing breaks
From a historic bathhouse in Sweden to forest bathing in Croatia, readers share their favourite places to relax and recharge• Tell us about a small European ski resort – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucherTucked away off a pretty shopping street in…
‘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…
Fine scenery, historic towns and great pubs: a weekend walk on the Shropshire Way
A new series of rambles cuts the 185-mile trail into bitesize portions reachable by train, with urban beavers, the Devil’s Chair tor and some delicious food along the wayFew pubs boast a more idyllic setting. As I emerge from the woods after a 15-mile…
Send us a travel tip on a small ski resort in Europe
Tell us about a European ski resort that has retained its relaxed, uncrowded feel – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays breakThis winter thousands of holidaymakers will be packing their thermals and heading for the ski slopes. We’d love to hear…
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…
Holiday cottage company insisted on a death certificate to amend our break
Sykes Holiday Cottages showed no empathy and insisted on paperwork we didn’t have so soon after my husband’s deathWe booked a break with Sykes Holiday Cottages for 11 of us to celebrate my mum’s 80th birthday last February. The cost was £2,400, paid for…