europe holidays
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Kayaking is one of the only ways to get to Kornat, off Zadar. There are speedboats and superyachts around too, but travelling under his own steam, Kevin Rushby gives them the slip
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The Bahnhofsviertel area is combining street parties, art and food with its traditional edginess and helping Germany’s business capital overcome its reputation as being full of bankers
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These small cities may not pack the cultural punch of Europe’s grande dames – and that’s the point of going. All are full of local colour but also served by budget airlines. Perfect for a weekend break
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For weekends away, we tend to stick to the same old places. Why not dodge crowds and high prices at these less high-profile – but no less interesting – cities: Parma, Cadiz, Helsinki or Hamburg
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Full of character, offering good value and great locations, our readers have memorable tips for places to stay in cities from Berlin to Vienna, Valencia to Lisbon
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The capital of Sicily is a crumbling film set of a city with unmissable architecture, vivid street life, and a great choice of alfresco restaurants and bars
top 10s
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These charming B&Bs, guesthouses and gîtes offer comfortable pitstops on a French adventure, but with their mouth-watering regional food and wine they may prove hard to leave
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Scandinavia’s great outdoors offers scenery on a gigantic scale, perfect for getting lost in on foot, two wheels or boat. Here are 10 of the best trips from our intrepid readers
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In summer Munich heads to the hills and lakes of the Bavarian countryside to cool down, where the water is pure enough to drink and there are cosy lakeshore inns a short hop from the city
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Whether it’s wild swimming in lakes and fjords, a sea ‘safari’ in Crete, or a 6km swim in the warm waters of Mexico’s Baja peninsula, this selection of swims (and stays) is a stroke of genius
winter sports holidays
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When learning to ski in the Italian Alps, Michael ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards had no idea it would lead to Olympic stardom – or a new Hollywood biopic
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This season’s snowsports fad, an import from the US, is fat biking down the slopes. Sam Hadddad tried the alternative to skiing and snowboarding in the Dolomites. Plus five more places to try it
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A fear of steep slopes put Kate Carter off winter sports as a child. But skiing with a laser gun? That was another story…
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The kids would be happy to stick to the beach, but a stay on the coast near Bordeaux means mum and dad can fit in some surfing and vineyards, too
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On the second leg of his family road trip, Kevin Rushby moves on to Cres, where the population is in decline but the soaring griffons and astonishingly blue sea are magical
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beach holidays
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Vintage caravans, log cabins, a view of the Alps or the Baltic … we choose affordable, alternative places to stay across cities, coast and countryside
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activity holidays
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See a different side of Europe’s major cities on these innovative walking tours that revel in art, history, food, drink – and even financial mismanagement
restaurants
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Long trip on the autoroute? Then stop off for a rummage in a brocante (a French flea market/secondhand shop), says Tom Kevill-Davies, who has furnished his house from them
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The sheer abundance of regional specialities in north-west France makes for a thrilling foodie road trip. We sniff out the best local produce, plus great places to eat, drink – and sleep it off
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At a cute fisherman’s cottage in 1,500-year-old San Fruttuoso village our writer has a secluded bay amid romantic Romanesque splendour almost to herself
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Some of Italy’s best food is found in rural, family-run places where fresh, local produce is cooked superbly. Readers share details of their most memorable meals
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Making the perfect limoncello on the shores of Italy’s Lake Garda