… domes of foliage from which burst forth a polyphony of lemons and oranges and the ephemeral veil of a foam,of a sea powder that no human foot has ever touched or seems about to, but unfortunately the train accelerates …Towards Tellaro by Eugenio Montale There are about 350 members in the federation of the Borghi Piu Belli d’Italia…
Italian cities share a family likeness that is – like all family likenesses – easier to recognise than to define. Is it the colours (above all, the blend of rich yellows), the delicately balanced proportions, the trompe l’oeil effects, the distinctly classical architectural features? It is probably a little bit from all of that. No…
There are many reasons to visit Italy, but here is the most important one: it is the one destination in Europe that is reliably beautiful. Other countries have beauty spots on what is otherwise a coat of many colours, some of which may be rather grey and unbecoming, but in Italy, no matter where you…
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our friends and readers! New Adventures for Beginners in 2026 will take us into the hidden world of France’s second city … … up and down the riverside of the European capital of Rock’n Roll … … and into newly created open spaces of somewhere closer…
You can easily spend a long weekend and more exploring the charms and attractions of Anglesey. But, if you must, you can also experience all in one day, enjoying everything that the island has to offer in a single package: Anglesey’s medieval history, … … its rugged natural beauty, … … mysterious Welsh traditions, ……
Wales and Brittany have more in common than bad weather: both regions were once run as independent countries and then gobbled up by stronger neighbours (England and France, respectively). This happened almost a thousand years ago, but both Wales and Brittany are still sitting a little awkwardly in the countries to which they have belonged…
Holidays are full of surprises! Or at least, they should be because that, after all, is the very essence of a break: to abandon your every-day routines and their dull predictability. Not all surprises can be pleasant, of course, but the bad surprises are the price we have to pay for the travel experiences we…
Having explored the Brittany coast to the west of Saint Malo for last week’s hike, we will today turn in the opposite direction. But although the landscape around Rothéneuf – the starting point for today’s exploration of the GR34 coastal path – may look familiar with its mix of dramatic scenery … … and more…
A few years ago, French hikers were asked to name their favourite hiking trail in the country, and it was the great Brittany stretch of the nationwide coastal path that received the largest number of votes. I don’t know whether this vote was a one-off or whether it is conducted every year or so, and…
Winter is the season that most dramatically divides the world into North and South. But here is a comforting thought for all those among you who are currently in the grip of the cold and the dark: the people who inhabit the gentler climes of the Mediterranean may be spared the worst of the weather,…