Cave tips

For proof that good things come in small packages, one need only visit Slovenia. In an area half the size of Switzerland, this Central European country packs in breathtaking mountain scenery, lively coastal resorts, fashionable cities, crystal-clear lakes and rivers, and charming, isolated villages.

The Willamette Valley in Oregon is famous for two things: scenery and its wine. And rightfully so.

Spectacular scenery, dynamic cities, and culinary adventures make it hard to run out of things to do in Oregon, but it would be fun to try. 

The Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024 competition, awarding amateur and professional photographers for excellence in food photography has unveiled the delicious finalists images.

It’s so dark, it makes no difference whether my eyes are closed or open. The only sound is breathing and a faint ripple when I weightlessly shift position in the salt-laden, skin-warm fluid. Inside an egg-shaped pod at Float in the Forest, one of my personal nightmares (being left alone for an hour with my own thoughts and no distractions) turns out to be a strange, peaceful experience, where time is condensed and space expands. Initially sceptical, my husband, Luke, also emerges from his pod and declares the experience “profoundly relaxing as few things are” (£60, book ahead).

As World Heritage Day on 18th April approaches, the spotlight turns on renowned landmarks across the globe. UNESCO sites like Stonehenge in the UK, Pompei in Italy and the Acropolis in Greece get no shortage of visitors. But there are plenty of designated destinations in Europe that still fly under the radar. Here are some of the best in Europe from remote archaeological wonders to untamed natural landscapes.

Start Housesteads Fort Finish Brocolita Roman TempleDistance 4¼ miles (use regular AD122 bus to shorten, if needed)Those who walk the whole 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall in a week may refer to it as a type of pilgrimage. But in the last few years the ever innovative British Pilgrimage Trust has worked with English Heritage to devise historical pilgrim trails – incorporating ancient sites across Britain – including the 23-mile section between Housesteads and Corbridge. For a pilgrimage with Roman flavour, begin at the Roman fort of Housesteads – a place where it is said “hooded gods” were worshipped, and walk east taking in the milecastles, turrets and the temple remains dedicated to Mithras, the Roman god of light (use the Hadrian’s Wall bus to return to the start).

Few destinations capture the imagination like Iceland.

There’s a surge in interest in one-of-a-kind travel experiences. Data reveals that Google searches for ‘natural phenomena’ have increased by 600%, while search trends for‘rare sky phenomenon’have increased by 133% in the past year alone.

Climbing towards the basilica from the river, we explored a zigzag of secret staircases and hidden courtyards in Lyon. These traboules are hard to follow, and so we had to look out for the metal plates that mark some of the entrances. There’s almost no direct way up from the river, but these routes, originally for the city’s silk workers, reveal charming back streets and private courtyards, into which visitors can stare. At the top, breathless, we loved the Basilique Nôtre-Dame de Fourvière. In the crypt we made another exciting discovery: a huge mosaic of the sea battle of Lepanto, a site we’d recently visited in Greece. David Innes-Wilkin

I spend a month or two in Puerto Rico, where my mother’s family is from. Often I go in winter, with the other snowbirds, finding solace among palm trees. But I’m not a tourist, not really. I track the developers that privatize the shoreline; I follow the environmental reports that give our beaches a failing grade. I’m disenchanted with the Island of Enchantment, suspicious of an image that obscures the unglamorous conditions of daily life: frequent blackouts, meager public services, a rental market ravaged by Airbnb. Maybe that’s why I turned away from the sunshine and started to explore caves with my friends Ramón and Javier, seeking out wonders not yet packaged for the visitor economy. I’ve been learning to love stalactites and squeaking bats, black snakes and cloistered waterfalls — even, slowly, the darkness itself.

Cappadocia is one of Türkyie's most popular destinations for a good reason – its stunning scenery is quite unlike anywhere else.

I’ve been visiting Cappadocia regularly for 16 years, and have explored every corner of this endlessly fascinating region of Türkiye. 

Cappadocia is one of Turkey's most iconic destinations, with instantly recognizable landscapes and outstanding historical sites just begging to be explored.

Although Türkiye is a relatively cheap country in which to travel, there are some regions which are a bit pricier, and Cappadocia is one of these, thanks to its popularity with both domestic and international tourists.

Claude Folmer was about 40 years old the first time he visited the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in the French Alps. He remembers enjoying the panoramic view from the observation platform, then taking a short hike down to the ice, where he toured the ice cave that’s carved into the glacier’s surface.

Cappadocia’s combination of dramatic scenery and well-maintained roads makes it a pleasure to explore by car.

“You’re going back to Mongolia in winter? Aren’t temperatures -35 F and isn’t Ulaanbaatar the coldest capital in the world?” They were sentences I heard not just from one friend, but several.

The nail-biting action of True Detective: Night Country takes place in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska—a.k.a., “The End of the World.” Although the filmmakers, led by creator and showrunner Issa López, did go on a research trip to Alaska, the HBO series really came to life in Iceland, where most of the episodes were shot on location, at night, in the dead of winter. It was a massive undertaking for series producer Mari-Jo Winkler and production designer Daniel Taylor, who spent 14 months in Iceland to prep and shoot.

With its pristine white sand beaches and slow pace, Barbados is an obvious destination for wellness. But the tiny island offers so much more than a relaxing beach vacation. Beyond the crystal clear water lies an island filled with tranquil gardens, majestic caves and warm people.

San Diego may be known for its 70 miles of golden coastline, but California’s second largest city after Los Angeles isn’t just about sand and surf (though that doesn’t hurt). Throughout town, visitors find local treasures, such as rare plants, multicultural celebrations, and a vibrant arts scene. To maximize your time, we consulted San Diegans ranging from a chef to a nature expert and a scientist for their favorite spots. Here’s what to see and do.