Fancy a Belgian city break without the crowds of Ghent or Bruges? Mechelen might be the answer
The majestic Flemish city is dotted with renaissance palaces, great bars and eye-catching contemporary art – yet it’s firmly off the tourist trail
Where the art of Edvard Munch comes alive: a city break in Oslo
As a new exhibition celebrating the portraits of Edvard Munch opens at London’s National Portrait Gallery, we take a trip to the artist’s home city in Norway
Exploring Siena, Tuscany’s other artistic masterpiece
A major new exhibition at the National Gallery puts the spotlight on the Tuscan town’s artistic heritage. But nothing beats exploring its historic neighbourhoods on foot
Merchants of Venice: 10 of the city’s most beautiful historic shops
From an elegant apothercary to a jewellers in a baroque salon, these stores all have atmospheric interiors and a history of exquisite craftsmanship
When in Rome … go where the Romans go, not the tourist crowds
The Eternal City’s monuments and museums are busy at the best of times, but there remain myriad treasures to explore that are well off the beaten track
Six lines, six walks: we explore London’s Overground reboot on foot
The capital’s Overground routes have been rebranded to reflect the distinct flavours of neighbourhoods they cross – as these station to station strolls reveal
My secret corner of Paris: readers’ favourite places to visit in the French capital
From a traditional bonbon shop to a hidden jazz club, our tipsters share their favourite haunts in the City of Light
Winter rail adventures in Europe: three itineraries for the colder months
Our slow travel expert picks her favourite off-season trips by train to France, Germany, Austria and Italy
The joy of ‘winterrailing’: my off-season rail adventure in France, Germany and Switzerland
Golden landscapes, cosy cafes and crowd-free sightseeing are just some of the highlights of exploring central Europe by rail in the cooler months
Like a luxury spa – for £20: where to enjoy Britain’s Turkish baths revival
In 1900, there were 600 Turkish baths in Britain and Ireland. Today, only a handful survive. We enjoy a revived hammam in Newcastle and take a look at 10 more around the country
Is the party over for Belgrade’s club scene on the Danube?
Raft houses, known as ‘splavs’, became synonymous with the hedonistic nightclub scene in Serbia’s capital. Now they are being cleared from the river to make way for luxury flats, bars and shops
Second to none: why Porto is my number one for a city break in Portugal
Second cities can be more welcoming and fun than capitals, perhaps nowhere more so than Porto, with its less manicured charm
‘Joyce and Hemingway loved lingering here. I can see why’: readers’ favourite small cities in Europe
Art nouveau cafes, Ottoman architecture and beer halls make these modest cities a big draw away from the crowds
Where tourists seldom tread, part 12: five more UK towns with hidden histories
Scratch beneath the surface of these once well-connected but now overlooked towns and their grand civic buildings and streets reveal a rich seam of history, legend and memory
Trainspotting from the bathtub: why Manchester’s newest bolthole is on the right track
You don’t have to be a railway buff to enjoy the Station Agent’s House. The restored Georgian gem is a perfect base for exploring the historic Castlefield district