Built on wool Lavenham, Suffolk Lavenham is six miles north-east of Sudbury. Wool was also the reason for the wonderfully rich and colorful medieval half-timbered villages of East  Anglia, and Lavenham is probably the best-known and most complete. Medieval houses such as the Guildhall and Wool Hall sag and creak crazily with age around the … Read more

Mention Skye to ramblers worth their saltand the word Cuillins with swiftly appear in the conversation. In terms of grandiose and brutal terrain, few mountain ranges in Britain can compare. The violence of their volcanic birth was tempered by the ice age that followed, with basalt and gabbro rock splitting and corroding at different rates … Read more

From ice-cream-flavored spa treatments to Barbie-themed rooms, Priyanka Shewakramani reports on hotels and resorts going the extra mile to keep families entertained. After all, if you spend your vacation worrying the kids will smash the crystal vase in your suite, you probably shouldn’t be there. When it comes to family holidays, choosing the right hotel … Read more

The hotel industry is rapidly expanding its spa menus to include child0frinedly treatments and parent-and-child packages. The Conrad Maldives (www.hilton.com), for instance, offers an Ice Cream Spa for kids aged four to 12, with treatments in 11 flavors – from apple pie to lavender lullaby. Conrad Maldives The Mandarin Oriental Miami (www.madarinoriental.com) has a teen … Read more

Although nobody at GoldenEye really pushes the James Bond thing, Ian Fleming wrote the Bond books here. His house, from which the resort takes its name, overlooks the sea, and there are cottages with names such as Vesper and Solitaire. GoldenEye recreates the ambience created by Ian Fleming in the 1940s. Hidden away from the … Read more

With the launch of the Vivanta by Taj, Bekal, the state’s unexplored north coast is thankfully opening up to visitors. “Holidays can either be active or lazy; a vacation here invariably falls into the latter category,” says Samir Khanna, general manager of Vivanta by Taj, Baklal, as we drive around the resort in a golf … Read more

Young foxes Playful, inquisitive and a joy to watch, fox cubs take their first steps into the wider world this month. May is the month when fox cubs can be seen taking their first steps into the outside world. Gingerly at first, and when with more confidence and brashness as the month progresses, the youngsters … Read more

It was my dawn horizon for nearly a year: a craggy shadow meandering across a west-coast sky. For the first BBC Two series of Great Escape in 2008, my home was an old cattle shed on a beach, close to the village of Applecross in Wester Ross. Each morning I would collect rainwater (never in … Read more

Flower and Bird Markets Dating from 1808, the colourful Marché aux Fleurs (flower market) on the Ile de la Cité is the oldest and one of the largest flower markets in Paris. Its blooms brighten up the area between the stark walls of the Conciergerie and Hôtel Dieu from Monday to Saturday – everything from … Read more

Nuit Blanches Paris held its first Nuit Blanche in 2002 and the all-night contemporary art event now attracts more than 1,500,000 people each year. Its goal is to give a fresh perspective on Paris with installations and exhibitions in several different neighbourhoods, and to make contemporary art more accessible to all. First weekend Oct Fête … Read more

People-watching on Boston Common Corralled by bustling, commercial Tremont Street, stately Beacon Street, and genteel Charles Street, Boston Common lies at the confluence of three disparate worlds. Whatever the season, a stroll through the common yields a veritable cross section of the city’s residents.  People-watching in the Public Garden Pilgrimage to Revere Beach The first … Read more

Boston Duck Tours Board a refurbished, World War II era, amphibious vehicle that plies the Charles River waters as smoothly as it navigates Back Bay streets. This historic tour encompasses all the peninsula and is conducted by courteous drivers and informative, entertaining guides who are great at keeping kids engaged. Prudential Center and Museum of … Read more

Most live music venues are licensed bars and entrance is limited to those 19 years and older, unless an event is specifically all-ages Crush Just as diners are ordering dessert, the lights are dimmed and the music turned up, officially ushering in the night to this restaurant and wine bar. A terrific selection of wines, … Read more

The Cumberland exit of the Bay subway stop (Bloor line) puts you right in the center of Yorkville West Queen West Art & Design District As artists move farther west on Queen Street to more affordable quarters between Bathurst Street and Gladstone Avenue, so too do the independent and experimental art galleries and the clothing … Read more

All the city parks are officially open from around 10am until dusk. Parc de la Ciutadella Barcelona’s largest landscaped park offers a serene antidote to city life. Once the location of the 18th-century military citadel, this lovely 19th-century park is now home to the zoo, the Catalan parliament, two museums and a boating lake. There … Read more

Cyclist, Passeig Marítim Barcelona Bici Mirador de Colom 93 285 38 32 La Rambla & The Port From Plaça de Catalunya, stroll the length of Barcelona’s most famous street, La Rambla, stopping en route to enjoy the street performances. Turn left at the port and admire the luxury yachts as you follow the water round … Read more

Delight in this charming market town, then find adventures in the hills beyond. It seems to me that the smooth hills and deep valleys of ancient Shropshire enclose a dreamy, mystical landscape. Timber-framed houses line cobbled streets in characterful market towns; crumbling castles dominate high ground with distant views; and charming villages are threaded along … Read more

Floating Bridges Lake Washington’s famous floating bridges, Interstate 90 and State Route 520, connect Seattle with Bellevue and the Eastside. Both highways resemble ordinary bridges except for the middle portions, which rest on the water’s surface above air-filled pontoons that support tons of traffic and concrete. Occasional windstorms push waves of water onto the road, … Read more

If you need a ferry and prefer not to miss the boat, avoid rush hours and arrive at least 45 minutes before ferry departure. Bainbridge Island The ferry ride to Winslow on Bainbridge Island should be mandatory for tourists who want an inspiring view of the Seattle skyline. A stroll from the terminal to Winslow’s … Read more

Tantris Arguably one of the best restaurants in the world, Gault Millau awards Tantris its highest score –19 points. Hans Haas’ philosophy of gastronomic pleasure is unequalled anywhere. This is a place for celebrating special occasions, revelling in top-notch cuisine, perfect service, and the expert recommendations of sommelière Paula Bosch. Johann-Fichte-Str. 7 089 36 19 … Read more