Mary Novakovich

Despite its world heritage site status and plethora of tourist attractions, Évora, the capital of the Alentejo region, retains a laidback charm and has wonderful food and drink

Kvarner is a European Region of Gastronomy for 2026, and the laid-back islands of Lošinj and Cres are great places to explore its cuisine

Mary Novakovich sets sail around the Balkan country to sample its extraordinary food and wine

Beyond the tourist haunts there’s another side to Vis, with quiet beaches best explored by kayak and paddleboard, vine-covered hills and affordable waterside restaurants

Still gliding above the town of Wuppertal on an overhead track 125 years after it was built, the charming Schwebebahn has lost none of its magic

TikTok trend is inspiring tourists to seek out cheaper locations such as Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Five hours by ferry from Split – and a world away from the clubs of Hvar – the islands’ wooded hills, pine-shaded beaches and transparent waters are buzzing with nature

The area south of Athens where the cultural capital meets a sandy coastline has been an open secret among Greeks for a while, but now more British holidaymakers are cottoning on to its Malibu-esque vibe

A medieval Haute-Savoie village makes a great base for a gourmet break, with delicious comfort food and local wines. And the snowshoeing and skiing aren’t bad either, if you can drag yourself away from the table

Amiens is often overlooked on the way to the nearby coastal havens in northern France

Framed by sparkling blue sea and deep green pines, the less visited Adriatic islands of Zlarin and Prvić offer a mellow end of summer escape

Taking its passengers gently away from the crowds of Croatia's busier islands, this small-scale cruise visits quiet parts of the country where tourists are few and far between

A leisurely three-day rail journey through France and Italy took me to a quieter corner of Greece's coast

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 Italy

Mention Dalmatia, and Split and Dubrovnik usually spring to mind. But head to the northern stretch of this coastal Croatian region and you’ll find a road a little less traveled.