We thought the recent volcanic eruption on La Palma would kill tourism there stone dead. Instead, it's put La Palma on the map and more and more people want to go there. Although the eruption was a disaster for the people and businesses that were in the direct line of the lava flows, it actually affected quite a small part of the island.
Five new hotels that have recently caught our eye and been added to Little Hotels. Choose England, Wales, Scotland or Italy. Portmeirion is possibly the most famous village in Wales. You may know it as the Italianate village created by by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. Or you may know it as the location for the 1960s cult TV series The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan.
There are sixteen National Parks in Spain, protecting and showcasing the immense geographical and biological variety of the country. They include everything from vast mountainous areas such as the Picos de Europa or Ordesa and Monte Perdido to over 200 lakes in Aigüestores i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
With it's sparse population and extensive mountains, lochs and islands, it comes as a slight surprise that there are only two national parks in Scotland. However perhaps it's those very factors that mean that the wilds of Scotland don't really need the protection of national park status.
A recent trip across the centre of England gave us an interesting comparison of two regions of the country, one very well-known and one less so. As we travelled through the Cotswolds we saw pretty towns and villages built of honey-coloured stone and tree-covered hills. In Cambridgeshire, sandwiched between the Midlands and East Anglia, we saw more pretty towns and villages built of honey-coloured stone.
The Welsh national parks – Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons – cover an impressive 20% of Wales. They are perfect for active holidays, walking, cycling, mountain-biking, horse-riding, wild-swimming, but also ideal if you simply want to drive around on quiet country roads and soak up the outstanding views.
When we think of theatre, we think first-and-foremost of the "West End". Much further west than the traditional West End, is the most westerly theatre in England: the Minack Theatre. Indeed, you really can't get any further west without getting your feet wet! Created in the 1930s, the Minack Theatre is an open-air venue set in a spectacular cliffside location just along the coast from Land's End.
Big cities can feature some pretty impressive landmarks, but for the most spellbinding beauty we must turn to the small towns and villages that abound throughout the world. Here is our pick of some of the most delightful locations that should be on everyone's bucket list. The great English designer William Morris once declared Bibury to be the most beautiful village in England.
I'm not good with heights, and that's something which rather annoys me. So whenever I'm presented with something high, steep or precipitous I'm determined to face down my fears. As soon as I read about it, I was fascinated by the Caminito del Rey in Andalucia.
The wonderful news coming from Lanzarote in the last few days is that the island is properly open-for-business. Hotels, villas and apartments can now welcome visitors back to this sun-blessed holiday island without any arduous restrictions. The Spanish government has recognised that the Canary Islands are almost covid-free and has put the islands almost back to normal.