Wales Travel Guide 2012

Wales is a charming collage of rugged greenery and pretty beaches. The landscape is speckled with ancient castles and quaint villages, and a proud national identity is laced with deep traditions and enchanting folklore.

Sheep-strewn mountains and leafy conservation areas make up a large portion of the country, with national parks Snowdonia, the Pembrokeshire Coast and the Brecon Beacons offering beautiful rambling trails and mountain biking routes.

The Welsh coastline is some of the most attractive in the UK. Cardigan Bay is a popular choice for sandy spots, while up and down the Welsh shore, deserted coves and secluded stretches are just around the corner for those willing to explore.

While strong tradition rings proud in the valleys and villages, the buzzing capital city Cardiff is a thoroughly modern affair. Visitors can enjoy electric nightlife, world-class cuisine and a thriving music scene, and then take a breather in one of the city's wide green spaces.

Travel Guide 2012

Netherlands Travel Guide

A small country with a big profile, the Netherlands offers a beguiling blend of rural, traditional beauty and vibrant culture. Occupying a delta at the confluence of three major rivers where they empty into the North Sea, it is truly a water world: canals, coast and lakes are never far from view. Flat as a pannenkoek, it also makes an ideal destination for cycling, an integral mode of transport among the Dutch themselves, and many visitors plan their trips around the extensive infrastructure for two-wheeled travel.

Holland (as the country is alternatively referred to) is also a deeply cosmopolitan place where museums overflow with paintings from its Golden Age and a cavalcade of festivals showcase performing artists from within and beyond its borders. Added to this is an eye-opening nightlife scene in cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

A tolerant people, ever open to outside influence, the Dutch place a high value on a quality they call gezelligheid: a sense of cosiness and conviviality that's immediately apparent to anyone who's ever stepped into a bruin café, the Dutch version of a pub. The object of all their scrupulous planning, it seems, is to share their enjoyment of life.

Travel Guide 2012

Finland Travel Guide

Finland is the big surprise of the Nordic countries, a natural wonderland with more trees than people and more islands than any other nation in the world. With endless miles of wilderness and 188,000 lakes on their doorstep, the Finns are uniquely in tune with their surroundings.

Even committed urbanites retreat to wooden cottages in the country during the brief, warm summers to swim and fish in the lakes and gather wild berries and mushrooms in the woods, before unwinding with a sauna and a glass of kossu (Finnish vodka).
The culture of the Finns has been shaped by the historic tug-of-war between Sweden and Russia, a story written large in the language and customs of Karelia and the Swedish-speaking regions of Åland and Ostrobothnia. Even the Finnish language is something of an anomaly, more closely related to Hungarian than to any other language. In the far north, Lapland is dominated by the hardy culture of the Sámi, rugged reindeer herders who have been following a semi-nomadic existence for thousands of years. Finland's most famous contribution to world culture is the sauna - the country has a staggering 1.6 million of them.
Around 10% of Finland is covered by water and 69% of the country is covered by forests, providing a natural adventure playground for trekkers, mountain-bikers, cross-country skiers, fishermen and watersports enthusiasts. Around 8,000 sq km (3,088 sq miles) are protected by Finland's 35 national parks, providing fantastic opportunities to spot birds, reindeer, elks and bears.
In modern times, the Finns have become famous for their technological innovations - this is the home of Nokia - and their flair for design. The reputations of architect Alvar Aalto and the Marimekko design studio extend far beyond these shores. The Finns are also famous for their party spirit, celebrated with gusto during Finland's festivals and the endless days of midsummer, when the sun barely dips below the horizon. During the snow-dazzled winters, life continues at full pace with the aid of snow tyres, skis and dog sleds.
Southwestern seaside city Turku has the chance to impress the whole continent as a European Capital of Culture.

Travel Guide 2012

Munich Travel Guide

Located in southern Germany north of the Bavarian Alps, on the River Isar, Munich is Germany's third largest city, its most visited after Berlin, and a city that seems to revel in its contradictions.

Munich perpetuates the folklore of the ‘jolly Germany’ – rosy-cheeked, lederhosen-wearing men singing over their super-sized beer tankards, ginger-bread architecture fresh from fairy-tale illustrations, and Gemütlichkeit (cosy, hearty hospitality). The flip side is a city that displays all the trappings of 21st-century world prosperity – gleaming BMWs (the manufacturers’ base is here), flashy boutiques and glitzy nightclubs.

Albania Travel Guide

Friendly, tolerant people, fascinating Ottoman cities teeming with history, magnificent mountain scenery and charming villages: Albania is a varied destination offering many pleasures. Hikers will love the Albanian Alps or the Tomorri massif, whilst cyclists will find a network of ancient tracks criss-crossing the country.

Archaeology buffs can spend hours in the complex sites of Butrint and Byllis, history-lovers have plenty of ancient castles, Ottoman fortresses and the museum cities of Berati and Gjirokastra to explore, and art connoisseurs should visit the little-known medieval churches, with their beautiful frescoes, and the icon collections in Tirana, Korça and Berati.

At the end of a full day's exploration, enjoy menus boasting delicious seafood, mountain lamb, organic fruit and vegetables and, of course, excellent Albanian wine.

Travel Guide 2012

England Travel Guide

From the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and buzzing London, to sleepy Cornish villages and dramatic coastal splendour, little England has it all.

The English, it is often said, are cold and distant, yet quietly generous and friendly. Obsessive tea drinkers and fanatic football fans, England is a nation of eccentricity and liberalness, and one of the most popular destinations on the planet.

The frenetic and diverse capital London, an untidy cornucopia of architectural wonder, is the centerpiece, while the grandiose seats of learning Cambridge and Oxford, sit like refined satellites on its outskirts. England is a thrilling place to visit, with a culture and people that is quite unlike any other, and there is no better place to start your visit, than in the centre of English cultural life: the pub.

Travel Guide 2012

Chad Travel Guide

A dusty swathe of land at the heart of Africa, Chad is a sun-baked country which, while rocked with conflict, offers up a striking backdrop of sub-Saharan scenery.

Its capital, N'Djamena, is a friendly and laid-back city featuring a wonderful Central Market, where the whole experience of haggling for African produce is exceptionally good fun. Lake Chad, once one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, is still a serene sight to behold, despite its gradual shrinkage due to climate change and increased demands. It is still of huge economic importance, providing water to millions of people in surrounding countries.
Indeed, Chad itself, although one of the poorest of Africa's nations, is still geographically staggering, ranging from desert in the north to fertile farmland in the south.

Travel Guide 2012

Denmark Travel Guide

Denmark is a secret utopia of tidy cities, picturesque countryside, efficient infrastructure and commendable public services, and is a country whose only fault is lack of winter sunshine.

In terms of entertainment, museums, festivals, architecture and shopping will easily distract the most enthusiastic of visitors and for those looking to take it easy, the outdoors offer endless opportunities for country walks and seaside breaks.

Balearic Islands Travel Guide

Sun-soaked and skirted by golden sands, the Balearic Islands are one of Europe’s prime island getaways. This Mediterranean archipelago, leisurely sat off the coast of mainland Spain, is awash with leafy terraces, crumbling heritage sites, secluded coves and rolling hills.

Mallorca - the largest of the three – has, over the last few decades, become the archetypal sun-sea-and-sangria island adored by package tourists. Recently, the island has been given something of a facelift, with rundown resorts replaced with shiny modern facilities; Mallorca’s capital, Palma, is now one of Spain's most beguiling and trendiest small cities.

Gothenburg Travel Guide

Situated on the southwest coast of Sweden, where the Göta River meets the North Sea, Gothenburg is the largest harbour in Scandinavia and has an urban and metropolitan feel, with plenty of hip bars, cafés and clubs lining the streets. At the same time it retains a strong local character and a down-to-earth cultural robustness that is both authentic and attractive.

Gothenburg's restaurant scene has long been something of a local secret, but increasingly the outside world is waking up to the many gastronomic pleasures it has to offer. The city is particularly famous for its fish and seafood restaurants, but it also sports a great number of excellent eateries specialising in other kinds of cuisine.

As if the beauty and vibrancy of the city itself wasn't enough, however, there is also the archipelago with its lively and charming islands and islets offering great opportunities for swimming, sunbathing and sailing. It is a true summer paradise.

Travel Guide 2012

Denmark Travel Guide

Denmark is a secret utopia of tidy cities, picturesque countryside, efficient infrastructure and commendable public services, and is a country whose only fault is lack of winter sunshine.

In terms of entertainment, museums, festivals, architecture and shopping will easily distract the most enthusiastic of visitors and for those looking to take it easy, the outdoors offer endless opportunities for country walks and seaside breaks.

Ideal for family vacationers, Denmark is of course home to every kid's dream, Legoland, but there are also several highly rated interactive museums and activity centres geared to keep little ones amused.

Denmark's capital Copenhagen is a remarkable city with well preserved medieval streets, renowned art galleries, Michelin-starred restaurants and a healthy business centre. Finding something to do is never a problem and if all else fails, just admiring the streets with a hotdog in hand is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Travel Guide 2012

Cannes Travel Guide

Cannes might be synonymous with the International Film Festival, but beneath this celebrity veneer is a city rich in rewards for travellers. That’s not to detract from the annual extravaganza, which has become Cannes’ biggest drawing card since it was introduced in 1939.

Every year celebrity A-listers come from all over the world to walk the hallowed red carpet of the Palais des Festivals and Cannes turns into a media circus with photographers hovering around film stars like flies around the proverbial. But you don’t need a press card to rub shoulders with the stars, who frequent some of the city’s most popular haunts.