Combine a historic spa with the festive pleasures of a Christmas market and you get the German city of Wiesbaden, capital of the state of Hesse. It’s one of the oldest spa towns on the continent, famed for its waters since Roman times. On a cold December day, while many were drawn to the market…
Author: Stephen
Yamanaka – a walk through a gorge and a dip at the onsen
A visit to the onsen is a way of life for many Japanese but can amount to torture for the rest of us. It’s like being boiled alive with no clothes on and we’re just not used to it. With thousands of hot springs across the county, it’s no surprise that locals regularly take a…
Kanazawa – a captivating garden and historic streets
Located in the north-western Ishikawa Prefecture on the island of Honshu in Japan, Kanazawa is a modest city of exceptional gardens, historic geisha and samurai districts and buzzing nightlife. It was my favourite stop on our 2025 Japanese tour. It had long been my plan to visit – even as far back as our first…
Nara – a mind-blowing temple and too many deer
Nara has many claims to fame. It was Japan’s first permanent capital, has one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, boasts a world-class collection of temples and shrines, and is home to large numbers of semi-tame deer. It’s an easy day trip from Osaka by train and a popular stop on the tourist…
Osaka – crowds, colour and an epic castle
Brash, high-rise, colourful and often chaotic, Osaka is a serious rival to Tokyo in the big city stakes and the third largest in Japan. And like the capital, it has some distinctive neighbourhoods with character all their own. The district we called home during our stay, Umeda, is a tangled web of soaring office blocks,…
Miyajima, an island of temples and shrines
Less than an hour across the bay from Hiroshima lies the island of Itsukushima, better known to tourists as Miyajima. The star attraction is a giant red torii gate at the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, both of which appear to float on the sea at high tide. It’s an easy, 45-minute journey from the…
Hiroshima and its legacy
The reason so many of us travel to Hiroshima is obvious – to witness the site where the world’s first atomic bomb was exploded in anger. Around 70,000 people died instantly when it was dropped on 6 August 1945, many thousands more followed in the years after. On our first night in the city after…
Tokyo – a return to Japan
It was in 2015 that we first visited Japan, and both of us fell in love with the country and its people, its weird contradictions, beautiful temples and fantastic food. We knew we’d return one day but our plans fell through in 2020 thanks to Covid-19 and lockdown. We finally made it back in the…
On the Adriatic at Split and Sutivan, Croatia
Visit most ancient Roman sites and you’ll invariably be greeted with ‘keep off’ signs, barriers and staff who say ‘no’ whenever you deviate from a well-trodden path. But Split in Croatia is different because the famed Diocletian’s Palace remains in use today as a home for some, a place to stay for others and as…
Providence, the modest capital of Rhode Island
After spending a few days in big, bold Boston, Providence in Rhode Island comes as a bit of a relief. The capital of the USA’s smallest state has a population of fewer than 200,000 souls and is pleasant and walkable, full of street art and history. It’s also an example of urban regeneration done well….
Madeira – island of gardens and mountains
You’ve got to be fit to live in Funchal, the capital of Madeira. Befitting an island that’s actually the peak of massive summit volcano, it’s all hills and challenging terrain. The setting is spectacular but going for a walk can be tough. For every stretch downhill there’s a climb back up. We stayed in the…
Antwerp and its fascinating architecture
Antwerp is a feast for the eyes if, like me, you’re a fan of great architecture. And its bars and restaurants are pretty good too. The Belgian city lies on the River Scheldt, remains a bustling port and has long been at the heart of the diamond trade. It’s a great place to spend a…
Utrecht and a visit to de Haar Castle
Utrecht is the fourth-largest city in the Netherlands, and a joy to visit. It’s full of life, is blessed with a wide range of beautiful buildings and isn’t inundated with [drunk British] tourists. The ancient and atmospheric city centre is built around a network of canals, reminiscent of Amsterdam but without the masses of people…
The industrial relics of the Ruhr
The Ruhr was Germany’s economic powerhouse for years but with heavy industry in decline, the big question has been what to do with all those old coal mines and steel and iron works. While many have been cleared, several sites have been saved as a reminder of the region’s importance to the nation. Intriguingly, nature…
Oaxaca – creativity and colour
Oaxaca must rank as one of the most colourful cities on earth, offering rewards with every step. Its buildings are painted a multitude of glorious shades and it has some of the best street art in Mexico. Famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations at the beginning of November, in the weeks leading up…