Europe and Middle East

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

Exploring Leeuwarden

23/12/2016 by .
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Leeuwarden, the capital of the province of Friesland in the Netherlands, will become a European Capital of Culture in 2018. Preparations for taking on that prestigious mantle are already well underway. Stuart Forster goes exploring Leeuwarden to find out more.

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Benard Magrez Luxury Wine Experience

02/12/2016 by .
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Classic French châteaux are by nature impressive beasts, but when you stay in one that was once the Bordeaux home of Pope Clement V in 1306, well that is another thing entirely. Such is the divine experience that accompanies a stay at Château Pape Clément with the Benard Magrez Luxury Wine Experience

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Lewes Bonfire Night Parade

21/11/2016 by .
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Donald Trump is being pulled along by three Mexicans. A throng of burning crosses carve a path through the night. Flaming torch bearers chanting strange incantations pass by too close for comfort. Is this a scene from The Wicker Man? Have I stumbled onto a movie set or perhaps I’m simply hallucinating.  Such thoughts are not out of place, because this is the annual Lewes Bonfire Night Parade, it is very real and I am right in the middle of it.

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Exploring Rovinj Croatia’s little jewel

17/11/2016 by .
Rovinj Croatia

Croatia’s many islands are legendary, but there is one particular island that gave up its island status to join the Istria mainland in 1763. The wonderful town of Rovinj had clearly decided it was rich and powerful enough to withstand Europe’s various wars and diseases, which through its island independence, managed to do so for centuries. .However Rovinj needed to expand and through some ingenious 18th century engineering it was connected to the mainland. More than enough reason then for me to begin exploring Rovinj Croatia’s little jewel..

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Walking the Way of St Francis

26/10/2016 by .
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 Pilgrim routes are popular these days and many people walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain, but few have heard of walking the Way of St Francis. Rupert Parker walks the route from Le Marche to Umbria.

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Perugia. Precious Pearl of Umbria.

25/10/2016 by .

Calais five must-see places

14/10/2016 by .
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It’s easy to forget just how easy it is to get to Calais, whether by ferry, tunnel or train but most people just drive straight through on the way to somewhere else. That’s a shame because it makes a great weekend destination, perfect for stocking up on wine and other foods and enjoying excellent meals. Here are my Calais five must-see places to visit.

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Guide to historic Nizwa

11/10/2016 by .
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Nizwa, once a capital city of Oman, is a destination offering fascinating insights into the traditions and lifestyles of the sultanate’s arid interior. Stuart Forster gives us his guide to historic Nizwa.

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Hiking Ecrins National Park

19/09/2016 by .
Lac des Fétoules

I’d always wondered what life is like in those high altitude French Refuges, often no more than wooden shacks, nestling in the shade of the mountains. Even better, when I hear about a Tour Gourmand, or gourmet tour, hiking between them, I’m even more interested. So I pack my rucksack and set out to try hiking Ecrins National Park, about a 90 minute drive East of Grenoble.

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Walking the High Alps in France

07/09/2016 by .
Mont de Grange Summit with Hiker

I’m always looking for a challenging walk but find that many self-guided walks offered by the hiking companies are not tough enough for me. Since you always get thrown out of your hotel after breakfast, you need a good few hours walking if you’re not going to arrive at your hotel too early. My perfect walk keeps me occupied most of the day and finishes about an hour before dinner – just enough time to grab a beer, have a quick shower, and then settle down to dinner. One of the most demanding is walking the High Alps in France and I fly to Geneva with my partner to tackle it.

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