Culture holidays
Visiting a shrine in Japan is a way to press pause on your busy life
The chief reason to visit a Shinto shrine is for lovely tranquillity amid the crowded clamour of Japan.
- by Brian Johnston
The most spectacular Greek ruins aren’t found in Greece
Chances are you haven’t heard of Selinunte, but this is the only ancient Greek city whose entire layout has been preserved.
- by Brian Johnston
Endorsed by Hollywood, this ancient way to walk Europe is all the rage
Countless books, TV series and movies have helped popularise the Camino del Santiago. But what differentiates it from any other hike through rural Europe?
- by Rob McFarland
Former pleasure palace now a glorious haven of tranquillity
With exquisite guest rooms and suites, lush tropical gardens, and open-air pavilions, Rajbari Bawali truly captures an era of privilege and opulence.
- by Julie Miller
Art is a way of life in Japan’s answer to Florence
Ishikawa prefecture is known for attracting the most talented artisans in the country, in a culture of creation that dates back centuries.
- by Ben Groundwater
Striking new gallery finally opens after almost 100 years
Madrid’s new Royal Collections Gallery began construction in 2006, but was first conceptualised in the 1930s.
- by Julietta Jameson
This town is like a Willy Wonka factory for book lovers
Hay-on-Wye in Wales is world famous for its second-hand and antiquarian bookshops, and it’s easy for a book lover to get carried away.
- by Keith Austin
Short and sweet: 20 incredible trips that take less than eight hours
From a funicular with a view to a jaw-dropping river cruise, the best short trips concentrate astonishing landscapes a few hours - or even a few minutes.
- by Brian Johnston
Opinion
Commonwealth Games
No great loss: Nine events better than the Commonwealth Games
Disappointed that the world’s largest school sports carnival has been cancelled? Here are nine important (and occasionally perplexing) other events to attend.
- by Ben Groundwater
There’s a cool new $400 million Factory in buzzing Manchester
The UK’s largest and most expensive arts hub since London’s Tate Modern is cutting-edge, taking inspiration from the city’s storied past.
- by Steve McKenna