Bern has been rated the most liveable city in Europe again, according to one expert ranking.
02.01.2024 - 11:56 / theguardian.com
Exploring Yorkshire’s coastline on two wheels is about to get a whole lot easier. Route YC, the organisation which promotes the Yorkshire coast, has teamed up with leading adventure cyclists to launch a series of new cycle routes in January. Ranging from nine to 260 miles, the routes are designed to help visitors of all abilities get off the beaten track on gravel, touring and road bikes.
There’s a circular route from Scarborough, as well as several shorter day rides from the coastal towns of Whitby, Filey, Bridlington, Hornsea and Withernsea, and the North York Moors village of Grosmont. There’s also a bikepacking weekender route which starts in Whitby and a touring route which hugs the coast from the ferry terminal in Hull all the way to Staithes, north of Whitby.
Route maps and accommodation details will be live on the Route YC website by 31 January
A blockbuster fashion exhibition will open at Blenheim Palace in March. Icons of British Fashion is the largest event in the palace’s 300-year history and will showcase some of Britain’s most renowned designers. Clothing, accessories, archival materials, drawings, photographs and patterns from leading lights such as Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Lulu Guinness, Bruce Oldfield and Temperley London will be on display in the state rooms alongside Blenheim’s priceless art collection.
23 March-30 June. Entry tickets to Blenheim are valid for a year and cost £38 for adults, £22 for under-16s.
Launching in spring, the first official canoe trail in the south of Scotland will cover a tranquil 30-mile stretch of the River Tweed. Starting close to Dawyck Botanic Garden in the picturesque village of Stobo and finishing on the riverbank overlooking Sir Walter Scott’s former home Abbotsford, the route promises beautiful views of the Southern Uplands and plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife such as otters, kingfishers and herons. It is designed to be paddled over two or three days and is suitable for all abilities.
Trail maps, suggested itineraries and camping/accommodation information will be available online by the end of January
A whiskey distillery will open in the 19th-century Crumlin Road Gaol in early March, following a £22 million investment. Whiskey tours, cocktail masterclasses and a tasting bar and shop will open in the former A wing of the high-security prison. Known locally as the Crum, it first opened in 1846 and took a leading role in the detainment of republican and loyalist prisoners during the Troubles. Visitors can learn about the prison’s chequered history and some of the inmates who were held here, from suffragettes to hunger strikers, on a self-guided tour.
Entry from £14 adults, £7.50 children; distillery tour prices TBA
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Bern has been rated the most liveable city in Europe again, according to one expert ranking.
London, Rome, Tokyo, Cancún and Las Vegas, some of the most visited destinations in 2023, are still among the top places travelers are searching to go to this year, according to the travel sites Kayak and Hopper.
Global campaigner the Conservation Collective is making waves across the Mediterranean, helping visitors protect the region’s increasingly under-pressure ecosystems. Its Sicily Environment Fund supports local hiking company Astrid Natura and Collettivo Rewild Sicily to train more walking guides, who will focus on the benefits of rewilding. Walking tours with qualified naturalist guides can also be booked with federescursionismosicilia.it.
The third Monday of January has become known as ‘Blue Monday’, the day of the year people are supposed to feel most depressed.
Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.
There’s something magical about a journey by train.
The pandemic has a lot to answer for, not least creating an insatiable appetite among travellers to see more of the world — alone or accompanied. As travelling without a companion becomes increasingly easy, one of the fastest growing markets for solo travel is cruising — and with the industry embracing this demographic, it’s easy to understand why.
Iceland's glaciers, black sand beaches, and the chance of catching the Northern Lights attract well over a million visitors a year. But it wasn't until November that I visited the tiny island nation for the first time, on a reporting trip.
Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.
With Valentines Day just around the corner, rediscover romance with the finest wellness retreats to suit the preferences of any couple. Whether you’re an adventurous, outgoing fitness duo or partners looking for a more holistic experience, Health and Fitness Travel, the wellness holidays specialists has amassed a variety of wellbeing breaks to rekindle that deep, intimate connection with your significant other. From setting out together to discover the vast landscapes and rich culture of Qatar, to exhilarating fitness breaks in the UK, or whisking your partner away to Italy for a romantic and revitalising mindfulness retreat, there is truly something to suit every couple.
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One Thursday last March I emerged from the Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest train station, and crossed into another world. Inside the station, a guide with a novelty Swiss flag was marshalling a party of Asian visitors. Outside, we were soon on the Jungfraufirn, a small glacier that feeds the Aletsch, the largest glacier in the Alps. Sunlight shone through breaks in the cloud, and the ice, flanked by buttresses of dark rock, ran south for miles. The pitch was gentle and the ungroomed snow looked inviting.