travel

  • On one of my first solo trips, a waiter thought I was a prostitute

    The end of a 25-year relationship is of course painful, but if it wasn’t for my divorce I might never have embarked on the life-affirming adventure that I did.

  • Then and now: The retro holiday destinations that went from naff to chic

    Cutting serenely into the birdsong at Vila Monte is the discreet tinkle of water from the pool. White umbrellas and billowing muslin drapes provide shade in the artfully-kept grounds and beyond the low-rise slouch of the hotel there’s nothing but waves of scrub, undulating lazily towards the sea.

  • The national park that reversed the destruction of civil war

    “You just missed the painted dogs,” said our guide, Richard Lusinga, as we signed the campsite’s indemnity forms and checked into our respective “rooms” – a collection of 7ft-high canvas A-frames, complete with mosquito nets, USB power banks, two single beds and wardrobes for hanging khakis – not forgetting the flushing loos and bucket showers. “A few hours ago about half a dozen wandered through camp!”

  • The best après-ski bars in Les Deux Alpes

    Les Deux Alpes is renowned for having one of the most vibrant après scenes of any resort in France. After a spot of afternoon partying, there are some 30 bars in town to choose from and, if you’re in the dance-until-dawn camp, you won’t be disappointed.

  • Why a safari holiday was the best way to say goodbye to our childfree life

    I strode back towards the safari vehicle, the dust lightly swirling around my walking boots, thinking that perhaps using the bush bathroom wasn’t the wisest decision. Robin, our guide, confirmed my fears as she set out snacks beside a lazy river in Marataba.

  • Ditch the phone, go alone and try something new: the perfect holiday, according to science

    We place immense importance on our holidays – perhaps even more since the pandemic and the limits that were imposed on travel – so it’s little wonder that academics have devoted plenty of research time to the science of the perfect break. Thanks to their findings (and after conversations with leading “happiness experts”), we’ve devised a ten-point formula for a failsafe escape.

  • The passport stamps that could ruin your next break

    During his final days of office, Donald Trump made a decision that would have far-reaching implications for Cuba and the holidaymakers who visit – he placed the country on a list of ‘State Sponsors of Terrorism’ alongside North Korea, Iran and Syria. As reported in The Independent, it means those who’ve been to the island since March 1 2011 can no longer officially travel to the USA under the Esta visa waiver scheme.

  • The best hotels and ski chalets in Lech

    The village of Lech is based around a central church and on either side of a fast flowing river. Originally the domain of farmers, it has expanded over the years, and those with deep pockets are well-catered for with three five-star superior hotels, as well as luxurious shopping emporiums, notably the long-standing and well-regarded family run Strolz ski shop, which has several branches in the area.

  • The best hotels in Cervinia

    While Cervinia is a cheaper bet in which to stay than its neighbouring, linked resort of Zermatt, prices are higher than elsewhere in the Aosta Valley because of access to this extended ski area – and because of Cervinia's own snow-sure reputation.

  • The best après-ski bars in Cervinia

    While Cervinia is not the most rock 'n' roll of villages, there are some decent bars if you know where to look. The party scene livens up considerably at weekends.

  • The best après-ski bars in Lech

    Although not as rowdy as St Anton, there are plenty of options to choose from in Lech, ranging from noisy dives to smart lounges. Generally speaking, it’s a resort which is better suited to more sophisticated, cocktail-sipping types.

  • How to make India's Golden Triangle an unforgettable family adventure

    The “Golden Triangle” of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur is often described as the perfect introduction to northern India. For years, escorted tours have whizzed around taking in all the temples, tombs and tigers at speed, with throngs of tourists dazzled by some of the Subcontinent’s most sublime landscapes and landmarks.

  • 20 amazing places for an affordable autumn break in Britain

    What do we look for in an autumn break in Britain? Warmth and cosiness, log fires, comfortable beds and beautiful views, certainly. Menus based on seasonal, hopefully local, produce including hearty dishes such as hotpots and blackberry and apple pie. Long, lazy afternoon teas, with newspapers and books and maybe a board game by the fire. And if we find ourselves staying close to a sight famed for its glorious autumn colours – a park, garden, arboretum or forest – so much the better.

  • ‘I worked on a superyacht... and was shocked by what I learnt about the uber-rich’

    To friends and family, scrolling through her glamorous social-media photos, Melanie White appeared to have a dream life. The 30-year-old daughter of a Protestant minister from the Home Counties spent half of her 20s working as a steward and chef on luxury yachts, all played out before a dazzling backdrop of billionaire marinas and azure seas.

  • The best English inns for overnight stays

    Soft beds, hot food and a drink for the weary traveller are all simple things, but it’s a combination that has defined England’s roadside inns for centuries. A good number date from as far back as the Tudor era, and given the enduring appeal of roaring fires, wonky floors and perilously low timber-beamed ceilings, they have had little cause to change in the intervening 500 years. Sure, you’ll find the odd sign of modernity – a pillow menu here, a Michelin star there – but their timeless appeal r

  • The best honeymoon hotels in the UK for 2022 and beyond

    There’s never been a better time to honeymoon in the UK, with a plethora of heart-soaringly lovely places to stay which are reassuringly romantic. From grand high-end hotels with incredible spas to Michelin-starred restaurants with rooms, staying on UK shores certainly doesn’t mean compromising on style or quality. The trend for taking a short break straight after the wedding (a mini-moon), before jetting off somewhere more exotic later in the year is stronger than ever and little wonder in a po

  • Travelling to Qatar for the World Cup: What fans need to know

    We are now less than two months away from what may prove to be the most controversial tournament in football history: the 22nd men’s World Cup, which is due to be held in Qatar between November 21 and December 18 (qatar2022.qa).

  • I caught Covid on a cruise and was left £7,300 out of pocket

    Gill Charlton has been fighting for Telegraph readers and solving their travel problems for more than 30 years, winning refunds, righting wrongs and suggesting solutions.

  • Forget what you thought you knew about visiting vineyards – this is when to do it

    Ripeness is all. Especially if you are a winemaker. The decision to start picking your grapes is the single most critical moment of the year. Too early and the wine will lack flavours and aromas; too late and they will be overloaded with sugar, the wine will taste jammy rather than fresh and it will be hard to control the level of alcohol.

  • Five unavoidable facts about jet lag

    For the frequent flier, jet lag remains a perpetual annoyance, a physical reminder that human innovation has its limits. This modern ailment – and its name, combining “jet set” and “time lag” – first appeared in the 1960s, with the arrival of commercial air travel. Yet more than half a century later, we are still living with it, with few solutions at hand.

  • Winter sun without the jet lag? 12 amazing holidays in the golden GMT corridor

    I recently returned from an epic journey halfway around the planet. It sounds exotic and exciting, but the reality of crossing multiple time zones within 24 hours isn’t quite as romantic. After several nights of staring at the ceiling and days spent in a foggy stupor, I turned around and did it all again. Sadly, memories of any palm-strewn beaches and glittering oceans have all dissolved in a haze.

  • The emergency codes you’re not supposed to know about

    Some announcements, in airports and on cruise ships, signal a serious emergency. Others simply inform staff that a queasy passenger has thrown up on the top deck. Here we reveal the meaning behind the codes.

  • 10 facts you probably didn't know about Windsor Castle

    After the magnificent pomp of her funeral, Queen Elizabeth II now lies at rest with her husband and close family in the tiniest royal annexe imaginable.

  • The most romantic way to cross Europe, and why it's having a renaissance

    Snuggling between crisp clean sheets, reading by the glow of your berth light as steel wheel swishes on steel rail beneath you – for over a century, the sleeper train has been the most romantic way to cross Europe. Once commonplace, they’ve struggled in the shadow of budget airlines since the 1990s. Their nadir came in 2016, when the largest operator, Deutsche Bahn (German railways), pulled the plug on its City Night Line sleeper network, claiming it was impossible to make sleeper trains work co

  • The Portuguese city with everything – except tourists

    Lisbon might be the main draw for visitors to Portugal, but just to the east lies an alternative city break with just as much dazzling architecture, enthralling history and fine food – and a fraction of the tourists.

  • Why this Atlantic outpost is the most underrated winter-sun destination in the world

    Some countries shine brightly on the map of the world. Your eye is drawn to them before your brain has clicked into gear. The US is one of them. So is France. So is Italy, as it dangles its shapely leg down into the waters of the Mediterranean.