Rather than bomb down motorways for marathon stretches, the idea was to see new things along the way, such as the great lakes of Germany and a Renaissance town in ItalyHow far would you go – and how long would you take – to avoid flying and thoroughly embrace the idea of slow travel? In my case, it was 3,167 miles over three weeks. For nearly a decade...

The best way to understand the city is through its food, and the best guide is a Michelin-star chef who knows where to find succulent doners, crisp calamari and rich taramasalata Saturday morning, 10am, and I’m sitting at a café table on a cobbled street in the Beşiktaş neighbourhood of Istanbul, sipping a glass of çay (Turkish tea) and waiting for...

From London to Tirana, via Chambéry’s medieval streets, bustling Bari and Albania’s dynamic capital, this trip across Europe has treats at every turnMy overriding memories of crossing countries by train, on a trip from London to Albania, are of half-empty carriages and countryside sweeping past windows bathed in the soft orange glow of sunset. I remember...

The founder of the Bradt travel guides and author of a new memoir has been thumbing lifts all over the world since her teens – and has no intention of stopping now‘‘No one hitchhikes any more, do they?” I often hear people saying this and am proud to reply that I’ve hitchhiked every decade of my life, except the first. And I don’t intend to stop just...

Our tipsters navigate Alpine passes, serene backcountry and dramatic coastlines across Europe, stopping off for the odd hike, cycle or dip in the seaDriving through the Tuscan hills, the sun beginning its slow descent in the hazy, glowing heat on an August evening was one of the most exquisite experiences I have ever had. Travelling slowly along small,...

Day trippers will have to pay €5 to visit Italian city under scheme designed to protect it from excess tourismAuthorities in Venice have been accused of transforming the famous lagoon city into a “theme park” as a long-mooted entrance fee for day trippers comes into force.Venice is the first major city in the world to enact such a scheme. The €5 (£4.30)...