You can walk for miles through the red, dusty outback without encountering a soul; and then there’s Alice Springs, once little more than a telegraph station and now a thriving community of 25,000 and the main gateway to the famous Uluru monolith. To say that Alice Springs is unique would be an understatement. Where else […]

With a hot Mediterranean climate and glimmering coastline, Malta is an ideal resort even without its 6,000 years worth of neolithic ruins, ancient temples and medieval churches. Branded as the ‘island of sun and history’, the Republic of Malta is in fact an archipelago of around twenty islands, though only three are inhabited. They are […]

With so much else on offer – from the world famous safari to the dramatic mountains and gorgeous coast – Kenya’s vibrant capital often gets overlooked. The country’s natural riches are so openly flirtatious that few take the time under the skirts of the somewhat more demanding Nairobi. Yet talk to any of the numerous […]

Classical meets contemporary, crystal waters meet verdant forests, resplendent nature meets cultured urban chic; Oslo is a city of beautifully captured contradictions that rarely fail to charm. In pure geographical terms, this is a vast metropolis; the wider urban area is about the size of Cyprus or Puerto Rico. But this simply reflects a Norwegian […]

Greece has many acropoleis, but only one Acropolis. Towering over the city with the magnificent Parthenon astride it, this iconic ancient monument is just one of a host of heritage sites on display in Athens, the oldest city in Europe. Times have changed since Plato and Aristotle walked amid these ruins; modern Athens is a […]

It’s easy to stereotype Zurich as a city of rich bankers and underground vaults overflowing with gold. It’s also fashionable to dismiss such as unjustified prejudice and focus on the superb gastronomy and the vibrant entertainment scene, not to mention the avant garde counter-cultures that have arisen to challenge the status quo. Both stances miss […]

Landlocked Austria is a mountainous country, with 65 percent of its terrain above 500m altitude. It’s charms were most famously captured by the Sound of Music; but while that rustic idyll still lingers in some of the high alpine valleys , modern Austria is much more sophisticated place. It is one of the richest countries […]

Poland is a country of vast forests, moving sand dues and unique wetlands, with 21 national parks and six UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves. The coast is blessed with some gorgeous beaches while the Great Malsurian Lakes in the north-east lure hikers and sailing enthusiasts alike. Then there are the stunning Carpathian Mountains to the south […]

Nestled between the Alps and Jura where the great Lake Geneva flows into the Rhone, the second largest city in Switzerland occupies an idyllic spot within view of Europe’s highest mountains. It’s been called the world’s most compact metropolis, yet the plentiful greenery and peaceful public spaces often bely its size and situation. When gazing […]

Albuquerque is a charming and understated city where traditional south-western USA meets an underground alternative culture that’s full of rewards and surprises for those willing to scratch beyond the surface. There are strong Hispanic and Native American influences here, too, seen in the jewellery stores and the Mexican-inspired cuisine, while the annual film festival is […]

India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, full of optimism and ripe with new business opportunities. Yet stroll a few minutes from the high towers of Mumbai or Kolkata and it’s like a different planet. Every corner turns up new surprises; nowhere else do such magnificent riches sit besides such abject […]

If you stop to look a while, you can almost see the ghosts of this once-beautiful city still trapped in the crumbling facades of its cobbled terraces. While Milan, Florence and Venice strut their stuff with wild abandon, Naples sighs at the margins, before embracing life with far more gusto than glamour. There’s much to […]