Venice.

Gondolas at starboard

Helen Anderson sets out from the splendid Hotel Cipriani by kayak for an afternoon of exploring Venice's waterways.

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Mud bath.

Hot, heavy and healthy

John Brunton finds himself up to his neck in it during a spa treatment that has barely changed since Roman times.

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Glass of Prosecco wine.

The bubble I've seen

John Brunton explores the vineyards, villages and restaurants of the Veneto region's celebrated prosecco wine route.

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Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur, India. Photograph by Getty Images.

Double-0 heaven

Ute Junker picks the best destinations from 50 years of Bond films. Ute Junker picks the best destinations from 50 years of Bond films.

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When in room ... and from Hotel Le Continental, Bordeaux.

Keys to the cities

A Bordeaux bolthole for $120 a night? A riverside retreat in Lisbon for the same? Here's our guide to some of Europe's best-value hotels and guesthouses this season.

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