Destinations

Mentor Tashi kissed by sunset in the shala, built in the mountains of Amieira, Oleiros.     © Gareth Iwan Jones Where did I go? Vale De Moses, Portugal 1. My favourite yoga class involved no yoga. I am the most competitive yogi in the room. You think you’re competitive? I’m more competitive, I win. I’ll never reach enlightenment because I want to be the best and enlightened yogis aren’t running constant competitions in their heads. Expecting to learn how...

Germany’s certainly not short of cute towns oozing culture, history and charm. Small cities like Munich and Cologne are straight from a fairytale book, with incredible gothic architecture mixed with well-kept town squares and gingerbread houses on the outskirts. Factoring in the fascinating differences between the former east and west Germany, there’s so much to discover about the country one can’t help but feel it’s an overlooked destination. To discover more of this wonderful country (and attempt to bump into...

With plenty of all-inclusive hotels and some of the big name holiday agents such as Thomson and Thomas Cook offering budget holidays to Turkey, the country has grown in popularity. Nevertheless, due to political tensions and other issues that the country has seen, particularly due to its closeness to neighbouring Syria, there are a number of people who are questioning what Turkey has to offer as a holiday and travel destination. Here, we’re taking a look at how to dispel...

Leeds has been named as one of Europe's top destinations for travellers this summer in the Lonely Planet Guide. The Yorkshire powerhouse earned its place among the ten travel destinations handpicked by Lonely Planet experts thanks to its transformation over the past decade, with urban regeneration accompanied by a flourishing cultural scene, growing food and craft beer reputation and thriving entertainment and nightlife. Zagreb in Croatia was named number one location, with other destinations on the shortlist including regions in Sweden,...

The delights of Spain don’t end at sun, sea and sand. Reflecting the country’s love of the good things in life, the Catalan coast of Costa Daurada plays host to a feast of food festivals throughout the year. It’s all the excuse needed to indulge in locally-produced wines, fresh tapas and hand-picked fruit and veg (for those feeling healthy). To coinicide a trip with a celebration of local gastronomy, here are our top pick of food fests – though we'll...

On a recent visit through San Fransisco's notorious hippie capital Haight-Ashbury The Guardian's Rory Carroll noted that the spirit of the Beat poets and flower children who gathered there to create a new paradigm of sharing and community has become an illusion. The bohemian idyll of Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters no longer exists, replaced by a gentrified tech-loving media landscape. Peace, love and credit cards, it seems. But not all is lost - Britain has its own 'counter-culture counter-option'...

There is something rather romanticised about the notion of travelling alone. So when I was invited to a wedding in Florence, I excitedly booked my flight and extended my trip for some solo ‘me’ time. If Julia Roberts could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I? But as the trip finally came around, I realised travelling alone was a journey that we’re never really prepared for. After a three hour flight I was glad to switch off from the...

By Joey Tyson The smell of a volcano is impossible to forget. Something between rotten eggs and a dodgy car exhaust, the stench of sulphur gags, clogging your throat for a second until the breeze blows over you. In short, it stinks. “Don’t spend too long down wind of the smoke,” our guide Jose sagely advises. Stepping out of the smog to catch my breath, I take in the view for the first time. From that height, everything looks blueish....

You might remember the tropical Thai island of Koh Samui from its bygone bohemian days, when it was a mecca for backpackers in search of the fabled beach that inspired Alex Garland’s cult novel The Beach. But visitors to Koh Samui’s shores will find the island much changed since then - barefoot beach shacks have given way to uber-luxe hotels, an upscale culinary scene and seriously sumptuous spas. With a host of luxury resorts offering palatial pool villas alongside scenery...