Europe
France
With a capital that’s synonymous with romance, a culture that’s richer than foie gras, and a gene poll of philosophers, revolutionaries and designers, it’s no wonder France has status. Fantastic ski slopes, glamorous beach resorts and rural villages complete the picture, while the food and wine score a gastronomic A+. Passionately patriotic, the French believe […]
Vatican city
The world’s smallest state, and home to the world’s largest church, the Vatican City is the central authority of the Catholic Church, a fact which pervades every street, every brick and grain of sand encompassed within its borders. Whether you want to check out the sheer volume of art treasured here. Get in to see […]
Russian federation
Winston Churchill famously described Russia as a ‘riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’, and this remains an apt description of a place most outsiders known very little about. A composite of the extravagant glories of old Russia and the drab legacies of the Soviet era, Russia is a country that befuddles and beguiles […]
San marino
lt might be geographically part of ltaly, but the Most Serene Republic of San Marino is miraculously the world’s oldest surviving republic. lf you’re into the experience of extreme kitsch, this is the place for you-it’s packed to the gills with ‘genuine reproductions’ of medieval relics. A dozen or so kilometers inland from Rimini, it’s […]
Palestine
Today ‘Palestine’ is two territories of lsrael: Gaza in west lsrael, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and the West Bank bordering Jordan. lt’s the birthplace of Christ, the Holy Land of the medieval Crusades, a landscape of striking contrasts and a travel agent’s worst nightmare. Despite ongoing efforts the UN, the long-fought struggle […]
Romania
Romania is the Wild West of Eastern Europe, a country where tourism means you and a horse and cart. But it’s chasing the dreams of the West. Straddling the rugged Carpathian Mountains, Romania offers extraordinary kaleidoscope of cultures and sights, including majestic castles, medieval towns, superb hiking and skiing; and Bucharest has a charm all […]
Iceland
The big island with the chilly name is becoming one of Europe’s hottest properties, bursting natural wonders: active volcanoes, valley glaciers, Europe’s biggest waterfalls, lava fields, geysers, thermal pools and the aurora borealis. Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital, is a cultural dynamo with live music, great restaurants and museums squeezed into a subtle small-town environment. […]
Lithuania
Rebellious, quirky and vibrant, Lithuania owes much to the rich cultural currents of central Europe. lt once shared an empire with neighbouring Poland that stretched from the Baltic almost to the Black Sea. lts capital Vilnius boasts a Baroque Old Town that is the largest in Eastern Europe and praised as the ‘New Prague’. Lithuania’s […]
Scotland
Given the long list of influential Scottish inventors and scientists, you would think that the Scots would have come with something to tame the weather. But, as comedian Billy said, ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes’. Weather aside, Scotland, like a fine malt, is a connoisseur’s delight-a complex mix of […]
Macedonia
Smack bang in the middle of the mountainous Balkan Peninsula, encircled by Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro, it’s no wonder the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been a powder keg of Ottohodox influences. These days the opportunities for relaxation and exploration are unexpectedly varied: you ca sit in a lively café, experience the […]
