Swans, cobblestones and lace shops: Bruges doesn’t disappoint if your hopes for a weekend away includes old-fashioned charm. But this medieval masterpiece of a city, reached from London in little more than three hours on Eurostar, also has avant-garde musical installations, irresistible chocolate shops and a thriving beer scene all set on winding, ancient lanes. … Read more
An Inspector Calls… Sopwell House in Hertfordshire was once an Admiral’s country retreat but today’s PVC windows and dry seabass trigger a sinking feeling Sopwell House is located just outside St Albans and it has 128 bedrooms It’s been owned by the chairman of AB Hotels, Abraham Bejerano, since 1986 He’s invested £14m in a … Read more
Even after something like 50 visits to Athens, I still find the geography occasionally baffling. Still, that’s part of the charm of this beautiful European city, and, the longer you spend there, the more you realise just how much there is to discover. By all means visit one of the spectacularly glamorous shoe shops on … Read more
Margaux is explaining how babies drink champagne before they drink milk. ‘Really,’ she assures me, ‘it’s a tradition that goes back generations. A family member puts a drop or two on to the baby’s lips after it is born.’ Margaux, 25, was born and grew up in Reims, in the heart of the French Champagne region. … Read more
There’s only one downside to visiting St Petersburg. You quickly realise you’ll have to return again and again if you want to see everything. I’ve visited the Russian city six times over the past 30 years and still feel I’ve only scraped the surface. The Winter Palace is second only to Versailles in architecture and … Read more
Q. We’ve booked a holiday to Sri Lanka. What will happen if we cancel? Mary Wilson, via email. A. Abta, the trade body for UK travel agents, says: ‘Customers who are due to travel imminently to the island on package holidays will be offered options of deferring their date of travel, transferring to another destination … Read more
Everyone agrees that the gardens at Gravetye Manor have never looked better. That’s high praise, given that they were created by famous landscape gardener William Robinson while he lived there from 1884 to 1935. More than 6,000 tulips are planted each year. Drop in right now and they will all be there to greet you … Read more
Truro’s coat of arms shows a tin miner and a fisherman, in homage to the industries that made the city what it is today. The mining has long gone, and the fishing is under threat, but, somehow, Truro rumbles on, with its mix of Gothic, Georgian and Victorian buildings, independent stores (a few, anyway) and … Read more
The world’s finest spring gardens are right here in Britain. No, really — that’s not an idle boast. The mild, damp climate helps, along with a rich legacy of plants and centuries-old gardening traditions. So here’s a varied selection of Britain’s most inspiring spring gardens. Opening times can vary from month to month, so be … Read more
Q I’m planning a nostalgia trip to Sydney, from where I hope to take a short cruise, in a small ship, to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea’s capital, where I used to live. Can you help? Edward Mitchell, Bournemouth. Not easy, I’m afraid. Some cruise liners feature Papua New Guinea, but they are usually long … Read more