The hills are alive with the sound of music! Cool cats will be performing in the shadow of the Brecon Beacons when the HSBC Brecon Jazz Festival takes place from August 7-10. The stellar line-up includes Courtney Pine, Joan Armatrading, Cerys Matthews, Neil Cowley and Jools Holland with his guest vocalists Marc Almond and Ruby…
There’s a romantic castle in Bavaria which prides itself on being the main inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland, California. The fantastical turrets of the hilltop Neuschwanstein Castle, begun by King Ludwig II in 1869, has made it the most photographed building in Germany. But what inspired the castle that inspired Sleeping Beauty’s Castle?…
Beautiful Bath is justifiably famous for its Roman and Georgian heritage. The Royal Crescent, The Circus and Pulteney Bridge are among the architectural treasures which have made the entire city centre a World Heritage Site. But my visit on a mid-March weekend wasn’t about sightseeing. I was there to take part in the annual Bath…
The internet often gets a bad rap – but in reality it’s made all our lives so much easier. We can now do our weekly shop, check our bank accounts and even read our local newspaper without leaving the comfort of our homes. The internet has also helped take the risk out of booking a…
Like many people, I’m a little addicted to chocolate. But until recently, I’d always resisted the temptation to snort it. That changed when I visited Bruges and had the pleasure of meeting Dominique Persoone, a self-styled ‘shock-olatier’ and the city’s very own Willy Wonka. Last June, he was asked to do a dessert for the…
An historic inn which has been owned or visited by four English monarchs is once more fit for a king. A £1 million facelift has brought The Bear Hotel in Hungerford, Berkshire, into the present while respecting its character and illustrious past. Dating back to the 13th century, the Bear was later owned by the…
Santorini’s explosive history has left it with a rugged beauty that’s unlike anywhere else in the world. When the volcanic island literally blew its top 3,500 years ago the Aegean sea rushed in to flood the crater and create a lagoon measuring 4x8km. The volcano re-awoke in 200BC and threw up an island of lava.…
Lincolnshire is often overlooked as a short break destination. But many of its treasures will be strangely familiar to West Midlanders thanks to two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. The county welcomed Tom Hanks when the breathtaking Lincoln Cathedral doubled as Westminster Abbey for the 2006 blockbuster movie The Da Vinci Code. And Keira Knightley shot…
It was the ultimate Alton Towers white-knuckle ride experience. I was challenged to tame Oblivion, Air, Nemesis, Ripsaw, The Flume and Rita – Queen Of Speed – all in under 45 minutes. But it wasn’t as stomach-churning as it sounds. For this was Alton Towers’ new miniature golf course where the holes are based on…
There’s much more to the capital of Andalusia than flamenco and oranges… here’s how to spend 72 hours in Seville on a budget. / DAY ONE When Star Wars creator George Lucas needed a location to double as the most beautiful planet in the universe he turned to Seville. The spectacular mixture of Spanish and…
Holidaying Hack 