The best 8 places to visit in the Bahamas

Long before she entered the tent as the elegantly erudite judge of The Great British Bake Off, Prue Leith was already enjoying a fascinating career: Born in Cape Town, South Africa, she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris before opening a Michelin-starred restaurant in London. Among her many, many roles in the decades since, she has written a dozen cookbooks and nearly as many novels, opened several culinary schools, and sat on the board of British Railways and Orient Express.

In Britain, the Sunday roast is sacrosanct. Gathering together around a beautifully cooked joint of meat, with lashings of gravy, vegetables and billowing Yorkshire puddings, is, for many, the weekend’s social highlight. And where better to do to this than the pub? Not only do you avoid the washing-up but, centuries after the French dubbed Brits les rosbifs, you get to enjoy the roast at its most modern. In recent decades, Britain’s best pub chefs have, by focusing on seasonal ingredients, rare-breed meats and painstaking preparations of roast potatoes or root vegetables, brought a fresh glamour to this Sunday afternoon ritual.

A diverse crop of new ships will set sail in 2024, including intimate yacht-style vessels to never-before-seen mega ships from luxury players like Silversea and Cunard. There will be plenty of bells and whistles expected of these brands, including restaurants from top chefs, but also a few features new to the industry (think glass domes on the hull). Some are sister ships to those already on the waters, but with enough points of difference to feel like something entirely new—including the soon-to-be-sailing largest ship in the world, from Royal Caribbean, of course.

This cheery diner might be located deep in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, but it’s immensely popular, particularly with families. It’s both child- and dog-friendly, and there’s an enormous play area out front. Once you’ve finished snapping photos of the kitsch interiors, sink your teeth into a mushroom Swiss burger or enjoy a refreshing glass of sarsaparilla from the restored 1940s soda fountain. 

Fireside lunches in cheerful pubs are one of the great pleasures of the UK winter, and this score of snug venues all come with somewhere to stay as well as cobweb-clearing walks from the door.

…

Hotel Lutetia Paris named hotel of the year, Capella voted leading luxury hotel brand, Japan shines as most popular holiday hotspot and Portrait Milano recognised as best new hotel, while Dubai wins multiple airline and airport accolades.

The ultimate tropical getaway, the Caribbean conjures images of palm-fringed beaches, rum-fueled dancing and lush jungle excursions. Pick any of the 700-odd islands that form an arc between Florida and Venezuela and you’ll get all these things and more.

Retiring abroad is a dream for many and often a shrewd decision as costs of living rise.

The best Christmas markets seem to turn back time, transforming areas of cities into timeless wonderlands. In the UK, you’ll find no shortage of opportunities to savour the comforts of the season, with artisanal, themed and traditional Christmas markets popping up across the country from November onwards.

For centuries, cultures from Scandinavia to Asia have recognized the year’s longest night as a marker for slowly extending days, the end of harvests, and even the potential activation of evil spirits.

Some destinations are just gorgeous year-round, but when is the best time to go to the Maldives to make the most of the weather in this dream destination? Whether your goal is to relax with perfect sunshine, or you'd ideally like to skip peak season to avoid crowds, planning in advance is important ahead of a trip as big as this.