Europe and Middle East

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in Europe and Middle East. independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

Lucy Daltroff tracels to northern France to visit the Slack Deux Caps Art Festival. 

Slack Deux Caps Art Festival. Where beautiful art and nature merge.

The coast, between Calais and Bologne sur-Mer, just across the English Channel is relatively undiscovered by visitors and it may because of this that an outdoor art exhibition has been mounted on some of its most scenic points. Slack Deux Caps art festival is running between, 20th June to 20th September 2015 and the idea is that the art fits seamlessly into the landscape.

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Boreals 01 Dani Canto

Barcelona Primavera Sound 2015 by Train. Arrive at Barcelona’s premier festival in style.

Anna Smith attends Barcelona Primavera Sound  2015 but travels by train from the the UK.

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Walking Holiday in Le Marche

Our first evening briefing in the lounge of Hotel Leone was preceded by wine and nibbles, so naturally, on the pretext of looking to store much needed energy for the next day’s trek, the majority of my nibbles were gratefully received . After all, you don’t go on a walking holiday in Le Marche trekking the mighty Sibillini national park with hunger pains, that would be foolish wouldn’t it?

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L'Orangerie du Chateau L’Orangerie du Chateau

Magnificent L’Orangerie du Chateau Restaurant. Loire Valley

Lucy Daltroff heads for the Loire Valley as she dines at L’Orangerie du Chateau Restaurant.

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Loire Valley

The Loire Valley. Wine and castles

  Lucy Daltroff heads to the Loire Valley in search of wines and castles

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Andy Mossack stays at the lovely Hotel Leone in Italy's Marche region.

Hotel Leone. Discover a wonderfull hilltop hotel in magnificent Marche.

The historic hilltop town of Montelparo has witnessed many things during her long lifetime; more than a few wars, an odd feuding baron or two the advent of electricity and of course, stunning views of the Marche landscape. But surely none perhaps more bewildering for the old girl than finding a young couple from England turning up one day as the proud new owners of a ruined palazzo at the top of the town, abandoned for over thirty years. Three years later and after much personal toil and sweat, the old palazzo was alive once again, transformed into the stunning eight bedroom luxury boutique hotel and restaurant that is Hotel Leone.

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