I have been doing this since 1999. Twenty-five years. The telephone calls at two in the morning. The villa owner who said no, and then said yes. The yacht that needed a crew change forty-eight hours before departure. The table at the restaurant that had been fully booked for six weeks until it was not. […]
Travelling by train is very different to other forms of transport. You could even say it’s a luxury of sorts. Unlike sitting on a plane, where you might gaze ahead at your route map or watch a movie, a journey by train is somehow quite different. It encourages you to look around a little more […]
Many people treat Palma as a stopover. They land, spend a night somewhere near the old town, do the cathedral, and leave for wherever they actually booked the trip around the island. Having now watched this happen many times, Privadia, which books private villas for guests in Mallorca, and has done so for years, would […]
The Amalfi Coast is one of the world’s most photographed destinations yet much of its real character remains hidden from the view of most travelers. Beyond the crowded ferries, winding cliffside roads and busy piazzas lies a quieter side of southern Italy — one that reveals itself slowly from the sea. Experiencing the Amalfi Coast […]
The first thing that disappears in Yasuní is the noise. Not the obvious culprits — street traffic, cellphones, car alarms, or loud talking — but the persistent drone of first-world life implanted somewhere deep in you. In just a couple hours after leaving the Ecuadorian capital city behind, find yourself gliding by canoe through a […]
It’s for good reason that the Galapagos Islands appear on many a travel bucket-list. Nowhere else in the world can travellers expect to enjoy such intimate and unusual encounters with this staggering range of wildlife. Isolated from human society, the creatures of this volcanic archipelago show little fear toward their curious human visitors, facilitating close-up […]
Durham is a city of sharp contrasts. You’ve got this towering, dramatic Norman architecture that sits alongside a chaotic, bustling student scene. During term time, the population of the city more than doubles. Similarly, the brutal hike up some of the city’s steep cobblestone streets contrasts with the lazy, winding River Wear below. Finding a […]
You could be forgiven for thinking that a simple request for a glass of tap water in a luxury hotel restaurant would be nothing more than a formality. Well… think again. It might not be as straightforward as you’d imagine. While many people will claim it’s simply a basic human right, one luxury hotel in […]
As all conversations suddently seemed to be leading to Uzbekistan, I felt it was time to take the road there – or rather the train. What I discovered was a country of interesting traditions and lasting legacies. My tour with Great Rail Journeys took me through four cities on the ancient Silk road. I started my journey […]
As the capital starts to heat up, an endless array of enticing entertainment awaits. Part of a new seasonal series, I share my favourite new finds for those looking to explore London. Wellness at Ham Yard’s Soholistic Spa It’s a minute’s walk from Picadilly Circus yet wonderfully tucked away from all the buzz so that […]
For many families collecting Avios, there often comes a familiar moment of frustration. One parent has 22,000 Avios in the BA Club Account. The other has 18,000. Maybe the kids have picked up a few thousand points from flights over the years, if they’re older. Individually, those balances feel annoyingly small — not enough for […]
There are places where luxury seems so effortless – where there’s a quiet confidence that’s deeply rooted in the quality of the offering. Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is one such place. Situated just off the Crook Road that runs between Kendal and Bowness-on-Windermere, the hotel enjoys a tranquil location among rolling fells on the […]
Once called the chimney town by renowned local poet Julian Tuwim the Polish city of Lodz has undergone such a dramatic transformation it is now part of the UNESCO network of Creative Cities and a UNESCO City of Film. A sensitive re-generation of the city of Lodz recognised and renovated the town’s historical buildings including those […]
Most first-time visitors to New Zealand’s South Island put Queenstown on the itinerary without much deliberation. It’s the world’s adventure capital – a title and a reputation deservedly earned and as such one of the headline ‘must-visit’ destinations in New Zealand. Most people will have heard of Queenstown even if they can’t tell you where […]
I have always thought New Zealand’s wilder places work best when people are given time to meet them properly. Not in a rushed, heroic sort of way, and not with the expectation that every hour outside has to become a story. More often, it happens quite quietly. Someone steps out of the vehicle in Fiordland […]