Travel in county Alpine

The gateway to Switzerland’s Bernese Alps, Thun is as quintessentially Swiss as you can get. Lake Thun is bookended by its namesake town to the west and the adventure sports hub of Interlaken to the east, and has long provided an escape into nature for Swiss travellers in the know. However, the region has remained somewhat under the radar to holidaymakers from further afield. The result is a series of quiet, trail-woven vineyards, castle-sprinkled shores, myth-laden caves and never-ending mountain views — all perfect for a short summer or autumn break.

Sarah Faith is a content and values writer at activist travel company, Responsible Travel.

Sports-centric travel offers an unparalleled adventure for enthusiasts, providing opportunities to witness the thrill of the game.

Standout moments from nearly 20 years of writing about travelling and eating around France include meals in legendary restaurants and the joy of a shared dinner at a chambre d’hôtes. That said, there’s a venue that can’t be underestimated as an opportunity to enjoy France’s culinary delights: the car boot picnic.

I had barely unbuckled my seatbelt and was already wondering if I had driven six hours across Texas for nothing. A once-in-a-lifetime river adventure had seemingly evaporated with some disappointing news.

The best hikes in Colorado are so much more than a chance to get some exercise. They’re also immersive experiences that invite travelers to slow down, be mindful, and engage all of their senses—like pausing to hear the call of a white-breasted nuthatch or breathing deeply to inhale the scent of pine.

Now we’re in March, it seems as if spring might be just around the corner. As the flowers bloom and baby animals appear, it’s a great time to plan a trip to some of Europe’s most beautiful destinations.

On a steeply pitched road in Grosses Walsertal valley, it was snowing – heavily – as if the heavens had shattered. I was two hours west of Innsbruck, deep in the Alps in midwinter, but the view was free from the rows of snow-laden hotels, après-ski bars and resort chalets that I was used to seeing on previous ski trips.

With an international train station in the heart of the stunning alpine city, Innsbruck provides a unique opportunity for winter sports enthusiasts to travel by rail. Innsbruck Main Station (Hauptbahnhof) is a hub for major European rail routes, enabling visitors from London St Pancras to be in the Capital of the Alps in approximately 12 hours, depending on the route.

Alpine Italy lights up for the Christmas season with some of the best Christmas Markets on offer in Europe, combining Mediterranean flavours and German traditions, festive food and wine, gift ideas, decorations, and local handicraft. Here is a selection listed by each region. ALTO ADIGE (South Tyrol/ Süd Tirol)

There’s been a rockslide somewhere in the Maurienne Valley, deep in the French Alps. By the time I’m due to set off on an intricately planned, early autumn European rail trip from London to Athens, nearly a week has passed since the incident. My intended path through France, Italy and then on to Greece via sea had relied on a connection from Lyon to Milan passing directly through this region. Now the route is out of action and it could be months before the railway tracks are dug out from the rubble. Initially, I’m irate. En route to the Eurostar terminal at London’s St Pancras at 6.30am, however, I encourage myself to think differently.

Have you ever dreamed of dropping everything and moving to a sunny seaside town in Italy or a picturesque mountain village in Switzerland?

From leaf-peeping to pumpkin harvesting, fall is a feast for the senses. Whether you’re keen on one major fall activity or want to take in the full fall experience, these getaways will appeal to every sense and remind you why autumn is the perfect time to travel.

New Zealand’s southwest corner is where the roads run out — leaving some 4,500sq miles of forest, fjords and jagged mountain chains that make up the country’s largest area of wilderness. Three of New Zealand’s 10 officially recognised Great Walks take dedicated hikers through the northern interior of this region, along the Routeburn, Milford and Kepler tracks. Soon, the coastal south will get its recognition too, as the Hump Ridge Track becomes the newest member of the top league of Kiwi hikes. 

Summer nights may be great for August’s Perseid meteor shower, but it’s hard to beat fall for stargazing. Longer, darker nights and the earlier rise of the bright stars of Perseus, Taurus and Orion make it the ideal time to indulge in one of the hottest trends in travel—astro-tourism.

Yodeling has been practiced probably for as long as humans have expressed themselves through song. But the singing style synonymous with Switzerland and its Alpine neighbors hasn’t always been a crowd-pleaser.

Texas is big – very big. But Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso are easy-to-reach launchpads for scenic road trips across the state. Just be ready for some lonely roads, particularly in West Texas.

Considering the wide geography of the Lone Star State, there’s really no such thing as a bad time to visit Texas. While you may want to skip the soaring temperatures of the Santa Elena Canyon in summer months, winter in Amarillo is not the best time to visit the Great Plains.

Surrounded by the dwarfing Sierra de Catorce mountain range, Rough Guides writer Alasdair Baverstock indulges in some hallucinogenic Mexican cactus for an eye-opening experience.

It's difficult to picture the Alps in your mind's eye without a blanket covering of white. But when the snows melt, another side to the region comes alive. Neil McQuillian reports from a verdant and warm Portes du Soleil.

Tamara Hinson meets marmots and treads in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes along the Via Alpina in Switzerland.