‘An awe-inspiring journey back in time’: readers’ favourite ancient sites in Europe

IHG is in talks to operate all three hotels on a man-made island that’s part of Dubai’s long-delayed tourism development: The Heart of Europe.

Grab your seat! For avid adventure seekers and armchair travelers alike, this year has soared exhilaratingly high with fresh films and documentaries that spotlight wildlife and wanderlust deep in dazzling nature destinations. Now a new seven-episode series, National Geographic’s Incredible Animal Journeys, crowns the end of 2023, premiering November 19 on National Geographic and debut-streaming November 20 on Disney+ and Hulu. Narrated by actor Jeremy Renner, this horizon-stretching show swoops into action-packed lives of migrating animals, which traverse the globe via often arduous paths that have been replicated generation after generation. Viewing animals’ relentless drive to survive and thrive is an eye-opening revelation. This series was extensively filmed over more than three years on seven continents and 20 countries with an international crew, who unearthed charming, challenging, courageous, complex and intimate animal encounters. Travel fans will especially swoon at stellar scenery. Check out the trailer (below).

What could be more romantic than the sight of a pillar-box red train gliding through a pristine Alpine landscape of snow-capped mountains, frosted fir trees and frozen waterfalls? The answer, of course, is having a seat inside the Bernina Express, cradling a cup of hot chocolate and gazing at a winter wonderland through the train’s panoramic windows as it pulls onwards to St Moritz. Or maybe, it’s pretending to be on the Hogwarts Express as you cross Glenfinnan Viaduct on your way from Glasgow to Mallaig. Or, at this time of year, listening to carols on board the Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Whatever your choice, we’d like to hear about your favourite romantic, dramatic and seasonal railway journey in Europe.

There’s an affinity between trains and Christmas, but what precisely is the connection? Ghostliness comes into it – the mystique of a train in the wintry night. I think of the misty, hypnotic adaptation of Dickens’s story The Signalman, in 1976, part of the BBC’s A Ghost Story for Christmas strand; or the ghost story in the Christmas number of the Railway magazine (that publication’s only excursion into whimsicality is always worth reading).

Britain won’t see a full recovery in Chinese tourism next year – it won’t be until 2025 when Chinese tourists return to their pre-pandemic levels, VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates told the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday.

This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.

Despite conventional wisdom, Europe is still a dream come true come wintertime. From the merriment of myriad Christmas markets to joyous carnival celebrations, the continent shines bright during the season of darkness. But nothing dazzles quite like the Northern Lights. At their best during the winter months, the Northern Lights are a thrill to those lucky enough to gaze upon them and happen to be entering a period of increased activity. While finding them is always an inexact science due to the famously fickle nature of the lights, many locations across the northern tier of the continent offer travelers increased odds all winter long. And since seeing Europe by rail is always a thrill and you can reach almost any corner of the continent on a train, why not combine the two things for a winter trip you will remember forever? Think days spent gazing out the window at winter wonderlands and nights chasing the magical lights outdoors and having fun staying cozy indoors. You will probably want to bookend your adventure with a stop in a city like Stockholm, Oslo, Gothenburg, Bergen, Helsinki, or even London or Edinburgh to make it a well-rounded rail adventure.

Increasing the use of public transport and minimising car dependency are two significant ways to help Europe reach ambition climate and energy-saving targets. At the heart of achieving both is the continent's railways.

A lone boatman watches Thailand's so-called "floating train" pass as selfie-seeking passengers soak up the water views, disembarking from carriages stopped on a narrow bridge.

Whether it’s in pursuit of a new community, better weather, or a new adventure, there are many reasons people pack up their lives and become expats. And it seems like the idea of moving to a new country is more appealing than ever—and gone are the days when it was reserved for retired people. With remote work becoming a more viable option for people of all ages experiencing wanderlust in their hearts, the possibility of the expat lifestyle is now more within reach than ever.

This two-hour train trip gets seriously scenic after Coleraine, when it partly follows the coast and Lough Foyle. As it runs along Downhill Beach, the sands and turbulent ocean are just outside the window, with the domed Mussenden temple perched on the cliffs above. On through farmland and past views of craggy Binevenagh – a towering cliff on the edge of the Antrim plateau – it will offer views of wintering geese, whooper swans and waders on the shores of the lough.

The No 50 Purbeck Breezer travels regularly between Swanage and Bournemouth past the beautiful beaches of Studland Bay. Behind Knoll Beach there’s a heathland nature reserve with a lagoon and a giant natural sand pit. In Poole we visited the Japanese garden at Compton Acres and the historic harbour. From a child’s perspective, the best thing about the No 50 is that it goes on a boat: the chain ferry that plies the harbour mouth between Studland and Sandbanks. The return trip at sunset on the open upper deck made us laugh out loud: it was like being on a rollercoaster. Jenny Lunnon