The best and worst river cruise lines of 2019 have been revealed in a new report, with Avalon Waterways and Scenic Tours coming top and Shearings Holidays anchored at the bottom. The research, by consumer group Which?, looked at 17 river cruise companies and asked over 1,700 passengers to rate their experiences out of five … Read more
There’s something addictive about Bologna, with its long porticoed streets, sun-baked squares, cavernous churches and labyrinthine lanes dotted with bars and cafes. It is home to the western world’s oldest university (dating from the 11th century) and there are tremendous towers that make the mind boggle. The capital of the Emilia-Romagna region retains a delightfully … Read more
They’re passionate about their whisky at The Glasshouse in Edinburgh but they’re certainly not po-faced about it. Like a dash of water in your single malt? Absolutely fine. It ‘relaxes the oils’ and releases the aromas. Prefer your scotch on the rocks? Perfectly acceptable. A splash of Coke? It’s akin to buying an Old Master … Read more
I loved Bible stories as a child, so when I left school I took myself off to Jerusalem to find where its main characters had once walked. Decades later, I still return several times a year and always find something to inspire me. The golden stone, the landscape, the intoxicating smell of herbs in the markets … Read more
There was a lump in my throat as I hauled my suitcase out of the front door. I had just left my cat in the hands of a total stranger and was about to head off for a weekend break in the snowy hills of Switzerland. The stranger was called Angela, and I had found … Read more
An Inspector Calls… Dormy House in the Cotswolds has everything from a champagne nail bar to cream teas – but it feels ‘cramped’ and ‘corporate’ Dormy House is located near Broadway in the northern reaches of the Cotswolds There are 38 rooms, two restaurants, a spa and a Delamotte champagne nail bar The Inspector said … Read more
The lounge at Southend Airport has been ranked the worst out of 21 pay-as-you-go airport lounges in the UK for the second consecutive year. Inspectors from consumer group Which? say they found barely-there facilities at the Skylife Lounge with no runway view, no hot food and no sparkling wine – earning it just one star … Read more
It’s the Ritz of the UK motorway service station world. Cobham services between junctions nine and 10 on the M25 has been ranked as the No1 service station in Britain, thanks to its impressive array of facilities, which includes a Nando’s and a launderette. Coming bottom of the ranking are two Todhills at the far … Read more
A stunning private island on the Norwegian coast has hit the market for £1.7million. The island, called Tjaereholmen, is set on 1.1 acres of land and is covered in lush green trees. And potential buyers don’t just get the land for the asking price but also a stunning four-bedroom property, too, which can sleep up … Read more
Boasting royal palaces, ancient monuments and beautiful countryside – visitors to the UK are spoiled for choice for sights to see. But it appears some tourists find the local rubbish bins equally mesmerising. That’s according to an online thread that is now chock-a-block with tales of visitors to the UK doing things that, in the … Read more