guardian travel readers tips

My travel dream for 2021: top 12 readers’ tips

Our tipsters yearn to visit UK coasts, cities and countryside, plus exotic journeys on the Silk Road and a Sahara freight train • 21 places to go in 2021

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Winning tip: A perfect ’stan

Covid willing, we’ll be heading to Kyrgyzstan. It’s at that perfect point where the infrastructure supports a great travel experience, but it’s not become spoiled by tourists. Bishkek is modern and vibrant, and in the stunning rural areas it’s possible to stay with nomads living the traditional life. It’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with delicious locally sourced food. Kyrgyz community-based tourism proved an affordable way to experience the life of horse-riding nomads living in yurts, and the money goes into the community itself. Minnie Martin

Where the map takes us, Wester Ross

The west coast of Scotland is our wild goal. During the neverending house tidy of 2020, we found the Gairloch & Ullapool area OS map and pored over it – a bit of geography home learning for my son, who liked the wriggly contour lines and the consonant-heavy names of the lochs and mountains. We’ll take the high road to Gairloch to see orca and minke ( Hebridean Whale Cruises , £64 adult, £35 child), stay in a wooden wigwam at Sands campsite (from £52pp), and walk to the beach humming the Skye boat song. Nancy Gladstone

Island dream, Lundy

My son, daughter and I have been making lists of where we want to go since the first lockdown. We’ve booked a few days on Lundy for next August in the hope that it will be safe to travel again by then. It only involves a five-hour drive to Ilfracombe, Devon, and then a couple of hours on HMS Oldenburg (which for my three-year-old boy will be the holiday made before we even get there). We’ll stay in Castle Cottage , in the keep of a castle built by Henry III in 1250. There’s nothing to do but explore cliffs, beaches and lighthouses, and look for the crashed bomber plane in the heather. And there’s no internet. Kate Attrill

All a-Twitter for York

I’d love to go to York and visit the Yorkshire Museum as their wonderful tweets – mainly about odd or mysterious items in their collection – have kept me entertained and brought history alive this year. A pint or two in the city’s ancient pubs and a wander home to characterful lodgings would just cap a cultural visit off nicely! Liz

Mind-Boggling Whitby, North Yorkshire

Low cost and close to home, a stay with the YHA at Boggle Hole is always a welcome relief. A converted watermill with a reception, bar and cosy sitting room complete with a log fire and leather couches, it’s in a pebbled cove overlooking the sea, with wooded cliffs on either side. Go in spring or early autumn and the prices are as low as £29 a night. Walk across the sandy beach to Robin Hoods Bay or over the jagged cliffs to Ravenscar to see the seals. Safiya El-Gindy

Golden Glasgow

I long for the wide expansiveness of Glasgow boulevards: west-facing, bathed in the golden glow of light glancing off sandstone. I long for the cobbled alleyways, armpit-piled bookshops, curiosity shops crammed with treasure; and also the glitzy, glassy, high street emporiums filled with unafforded luxuries. I long for views of the university, the Campsie Fells, the high flats, the rivers snaking through. And the tearooms, pubs, gastropubs, curry houses, Asian street food haunts, delis and restaraunts high end and greasy spoon. It’s only two hours away but has been impossibly out of reach. I long for full immersion, to be sated by all its gritty, impossibly romantic, unabashed grandeur. Fiona

Simply sublime, Cotswolds Way

In 2021 I want to carry on enjoying the benefits of the simple pleasures of travelling that 2020 led us to – like walking and talking. I want to walk the Cotswolds Way from Broadway to Bath, breathing in fresh air, wondering at big skies, scanning rolling hills in the distance while getting fitter without going to gyms or swimming in chlorinated pools or using mobile apps. Its 120 miles should take about a week, staying in village pubs along the way. Travel, like life, should be about connecting reality to your imagination by inspiration, which can come in the purest, most simple of forms. Nick

Faroes football

My dream is to fulfil a Covid-delayed bucket-list trip to see the ultimate sporting underdog story, and take my football-crazy nine-year-old on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We will be travelling to see the Faroe Islands play an international match on home turf. They’re due to play Scotland on 12 October in a World Cup qualifier. Fly into the capital, Torshavn, and you can walk to the stadium. Hire a car for the full Faroes experience: it’s the bird-watching capital of Europe. Hotel Streym in Torshavn has Atlantic views and doubles from £90. John Connolly

Harvest festival with a difference, Ukraine

It will take the best part of a day and a half but here’s my plan: a few buses, some trains and a flight from my home in the Ribble valley to Ukraine, crossing the Polish border at Przemyśl. I’m expecting Lviv to be “bruised but not broken” as the Ray Davies song goes, with coffee, cake and varenyky (dumpling) culture still largely intact. I plan to go in August for the Saviour of the Apple feast, an Eastern Orthodox celebration of harvest. The reason for going is not necessarily the destination or the festival but the sweet joy of a long journey to a foreign land and interaction with strangers at long last. Martin Charlesworth

Totally ore-some, Mauritania

For 2021, I want to travel somewhere that is remote with low population density and gives me an adrenaline rush. After a bit of research, I’ve chosen to go on the iron ore train in Mauritania. The 700km journey on a cargo train from the north of the country to the west coast takes around 34 hours. This train is among the world’s longest and heaviest and riding it is totally free. From time to time, I look at the photos and videos of the journey on the internet and instantly get goosebumps. See for yourself. It’s total madness. Venkata K C Tata

Silk Road: Samarkand to Baku

As we enter 2021 with unbridled hope and optimism for a better year filled with limitless freedom and a vaccinated global population, never have I wanted more to return to completing my journey of the Silk Road, started in 2019. Beginning in Xi’an and Kashgar, China, I headed west to Almaty, Kazakhstan, before crossing over into Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. My trip allowed just enough time to reach dazzling Samarkand in Uzbekistan. My trip ended at the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, a breathtaking marvel from which I hope to restart my adventure in 2021. My aim is to reach Tehran, from where I will return to Baku, one of my favourite cities, for a deserved cup of coffee. Scott Strachan

Mountain overload, Georgia

I want to be overwhelmed by Georgia’s Kazbegi region again. I want to get so exhausted by marvellous hikes – where I will not meet a soul – that the next day will be spent on a balcony with a book that gets little attention because the mountains take my breath away. I will only leave that balcony to eat terrific vegetarian Georgian food, with the same view. That balcony I left and want to return to is at Rooms Hotel , where doubles go for $100 – steep by Georgian standards but worth it and not as steep as those mountain slopes. Franka Hummels

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The Best Newspaper Travel Sections

Newspaper circulation and advertising revenue has taken a major hit over the past few years. That drop has been partly connected to the rise of Internet media. Despite this, a number of newspapers maintain excellent travel sections that are worth reading on a daily basis. These papers have also made a strong transition into the Internet Age with comprehensive websites. Enduring Wanderlust travel blog has compiled a list of the best travel sections for English-language newspapers:

United States

The New York Times

The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal has the second highest daily circulation of the U.S. newspapers. Its coverage is focused primarily on U.S. and international business and financial news. Hence their heavy bent in favor of corporate and business interests.  The WSJ  also provides a wealth of information for travel-industry professionals, business travelers and consumers. The Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the airline industry is particularly comprehensive. Give The Middle Seat Terminal blog a trial run.

Los Angeles Times

Chicago Tribune

The Chicago Tribune has the eighth highest daily circulation of the U.S. newspapers. It has wide-ranging coverage of international and local travel. Online readers have access to the Tribune’s well-organized Midwest destination guides. Each destination has a section covering top attractions to go along with a list of the Chicago Tribune’s feature stories for that location. The paper has also developed a Chicago tour connected to President Barack Obama’s life in the Windy City.

United Kingdom

The Guardian has the ninth highest daily circulation of the United Kingdom newspapers. Its travel section has outstanding coverage of international and UK travel. In addition, The Guardian website has been effective with its integration of journalistic reporting and blogs that focus on the current “hot” trends in travel such as Twitter. They also have a section dedicated to readers’ tips in their coverage.

The Globe and Mail The Globe and Mail has the second highest daily circulation of Canadian papers. The Globe’s travel section has a mix of coverage including destinations, ‘tripping’ narratives, and consumer news. Their reporting has a personal feel to it since articles often focus on an individual’s experience with a place or activity. The Globe’s website is comprehensive, but their multimedia presentations are limited in comparison to the other papers on the list.

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• April 13, 2009
• In Features
• Chicago Tribune Travel Section Frugal Traveler gennaro salamone Guardian Travel Section Los Angeles Times Travel Section New York Times Travel Section The Globe and Mail Travel Section Wall Street Journal Business Travel

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29 Comments

I read the NY Times and Wall Street Journal almost everyday. Travel and other sections. They have flaws, but are the best papers in my view. Smart that many have started blogging as blog are doing well and have good coverage too.

I don’t read papers as much as I use to, but a lot fo great journalism there. Times is the best overall. Like the LA Times too. The one that’s not on the list that I read online is the Houston Chronicle. Good website.

There are a lot of really good travel blogs so newspapers would be smart to invest there. They need to find balance from there typical long features and shorter blog entries to keep reader returning.

A lot of people are shifting to Internet reading for newspapers. I use iPhone apps for the NY Times and to get other coverage in addition to reading blogs. I like the format of the Houston Chron quite a bit. Right up there with their travel section too.

I read the Tribune and Sun-Times. Both pretty good with travel. I’d agree that the latter is slightly better, but not by much. Read the New York Times too. Good stuff.

Read a few of those and I also like the Miami Herald travel section. Good coverage of the area and Latin America.

how is it the LA and Chicago papers are both the 4th highest daily circulation?

They are close, but the Tribune brings me back almost everyday. Sun-Times a couple of times a week based on their articles.

The Herald is usually ranked highly, but there seems to be less coverage of late.

Authentic Seacoast Resorts

Thanks for putting this list together. It’s interesting that we follow most of these travel sections but in different ways.

Glad to see you included a Canadian paper in your selection of the best newspaper travel sections. The Globe & Mail has always done a good job of sharing wonderful travel writing and we read always read the print edition.

We get the New York Times weekend Travel Dispatch by email. This is a great way to keep up with this great travel section even if you can’t find a copy of the Times at your local news stand.

We’re following the Guardian and Los Angeles Times travel sections on Twitter.

Four newspapers, three sources for content! We’ll have to look at adding the Tribune and Journal to our travel reading list.

@AuthenticCoast

The Tribune is the eighth highest. Typo.

@Authentic Seacoast

Good point about e-mail and Twitter. A lot of the major papers send their travel stories that way. I read articles for the Globe and Mail regularly (online). Lots of interesting articles.

I still read the actual paper everyday. The Boston Globe is my local paper and they do a nice job with travel.

Tell you the truth Gennaro I much prefer the print media when it comes to newspapers, but I reckon when referring to the travel section the Internet may have a trump card up their sleeve as they can use color photos and even video to promote certain areas.

I’ve got to disagree with the NY Times. Compared to what it once was, the travel section has gone downhill. A half page is wasted on the back with a photo (often not particularly well-shot) of someone traveling. The destinations are repeated frequently, and the quality of the writing has really declined.

I agree with Sire above. Also, with the internet / blogosphere, you’re an actively engaged reader vs. passive reader with the print media. You can comment, ask questions, reply to other people’s queries, or get answers in an INSTANT! As well, you build a community of follwers / readers / friends. It gives the PR phrase “word of mouth” a whole new meaning! One example of a successful blog is the BILL SIMMONS / ESPN partnership!

I read the Globe for New England news or travel tidbits. Solid.

I went with the print editions until the a couple of years ago. I think your point is part of the reason: photos and video. Plus it’s easier to get multiple papers with iPhone or similar, but part of me misses the actual paper.

The NY Times has been taking a lot of hits lately in all areas. The one thing I like is that they still update the travel sections daily. Most papers have cut back. When it comes to travel, papers are having a lot of trouble competing with blog which pump out a lot of interest content in a quick manner. Which papers do you prefer, if any?

@jen laceda

That’s an interesting addition in terms of the ability to comment online and become part of a community. ESPN definitely benefitted from having Simmons aboard. It might make sense for them to hire a few experienced travel bloggers for their sites.

The San Fran Chronicles’ coverage is good. I check out the LA Times to for local spots to visit. The California papers have a lot of good stories for Asia too.

Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com

Very resourceful! I do not read newspapers – there is always a chance to start reading about politics and scandals – what a drainer….. I choose a better way to catch up on traveling – my best resource so far for distant traveling is Enduring Wanderlust 😉

True. Lots of Asia coverage on the left coast.

@Alik Levin

News does thrive on the negative, for sure. Glad we’re keeping you interested.

Heather Dugan

Good list. I follow most that you’ve listed but will have to check out “The Guardian” as it’s included with some of my daily reads.

@Heather Dugan

I think you’ll enjoy it.

@Gennaro – ‘Part of me missed the actual paper’, at the risk of being crude, is that the part of you that the paper gets used on when you run out of toilet paper? 😉

Nostalgia mostly. Been reading the paper for years and years. It’s especially weird to get on the subway which was filled with people reading the newspapers. There are still some, but lots more using iPhone or Kindle.

Very insightful, I enjoyed reading.

Giovanna Garcia Imperfect Action is better than No Action

Thanks. Lots of great papers out there. Though most will slowly go digital.

lara dunston

Coming to this late – been on the road and so just catching up on you now – great piece. I’m a fan of the old-fashioned newspaper – nostalgia mainly – lots of memories from when I was younger, when (during less hectic times) we’d take the weekend newspapers to the park and spend hours with them over pastries and coffee. These days I mostly read online – and I subscribe to most of the travel sections above. I’ve definitely noticed a drop in quality in all of them sadly – mainly due to cuts to freelance budgets and more writers working from desks I expect. I’d love to see standards rise again, and I’d be happy to pay for subscriptions if that’s what it took to restore budgets and quality of journalism. It will be interesting to see what happens in years to come…

NYT’s Frugal Traveler blog is a great resource, but I have to admit that my former Sunday morning habit of perusing the travel section over coffee is a thing of the past! These days I tend to get most of my travel info from blogs and googling!

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I used to read the LA Times travel section (when I had a subscription). I recently looked at the section and they’ve changed their format and it seems much smaller. I think newspapers will soon fade out to be completely online… especially with the iPad and Kindle out.

@Richard – Think that’s true for most.

@Travel – The trasformation is happening.

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10 great Greek islands: readers’ travel tips | The Guardian

 winning tip: hiking in amorgos, cyclades.

As well as the azure bays and its role in Luc Besson’s The Big Blue, Amorgos is also renowned for its hiking trails, which not only connect the island’s villages but also provide access to ecclesiastical and natural landmarks. Start at Hora, the capital of the island, and walk towards the landmark of Amorgos, the Greek-Orthodox monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa. Built by Byzantine emperor Alexius Comnenus I in the 11th century, this whitewashed monastery is wedged into a cliff face 300 metres above the sea. Climb the nearly 300 steps, walk through the low marble doorway and take the staircase that leads to the chapel where treasures and icons are kept. You will be rewarded with a vertiginous yet panoramic view of the Mediterranean, complimentary rose-flavoured loukoumi (Greek Turkish delight) and psimeni raki (raki with honey and spices) offered by the monks. From there, descend towards the pebble beach of Agia Anna. Here the waves splash against a rock which a chapel of the same name is built on. It’s then time to dive into the deep blue Aegean. Alex Chatziagorakis

Karpathos, Dodecanese

The windmills in Olympos are a feature of Karpathos. Photograph: Franz Pritz/Getty Images

The largest Dodecanese island is largely unknown to Brits. You can fly there but not directly from the UK. Better to take the ferry from Rhodes or Crete as we did and head for Diafani, where getting around is mostly by boat or on foot. We were enchanted by the lack of tourist trappings as local life carried on around us. As visitors we found ourselves welcomed with gifts of pomegranates, just-caught whitebait and freshly baked bread. While we were drinking coffee at a cafe on the water’s edge, a local fisherman invited us onto his caïque and took us on a spectacular journey to a beach where we found ourselves alone and surrounded by undisturbed centuries-old ruins. As we swam, our boatman fished for octopus, then barbecued it for us, having first shooed the goat from the stone table. Inland we visited Olympos, courtesy of the free loan of our hotel owner’s car. The remotest village on the island, and only recently accessible by road, it’s a place where traditional costumes and customs still persist, and time seemed, like its iconic windmills, to stand still. William Chosen

Kastellorizo

Photograph: Cecilia Lindstrom

Kastellorizo, a mile off the Turkish coast, is a colourful and picturesque island with a tumultuous past. Originally colonised by the Dorian Greeks, the island was later occupied by Egypt, Italy and the Ottoman empire, all of which is evident in the capital’s rich architectural legacy. Pastel-coloured Anatolian-style houses are arranged around a small fishing harbour lined with tavernas. Dotted on the hillside are a church and a cathedral, an Ottoman mosque, monasteries and castles. The ruins of an ancient acropolis lies on the western outskirts of town. A promenade on the steep streets and lanes provides abundant delight and surprise as well as breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. A small family-friendly beach west of the harbour is excellent for swimming. The island’s remote location on the fringes of the Dodecanese has left it relatively undisturbed by tourists, making it an ideal getaway centred on food, recuperation and culture. The island is easily reached by boat from Rhodes or Kas. Cecilia Lindstrom

Lipsi, Dodecanese

Rena’s Rooms

I first met Rena in 1992. I was a teenager then, reluctantly dragged by my mother on holiday to a then off-the-beaten track island. With its low hills, unspoiled beaches and welcoming people, Lipsi was the hidden gem of the Dodecanese. Rena Rooms is at the edge of the small “town” of Lipsi, the only settlement on the island, and the rooms overlook Liendou beach. The views are so calming, and waking up to the sea just below your balcony with only the singing of birds, the bells of goats and sweet wild thyme and oregano fragrance in the air is just breathtaking. I have visited the island and Rena on and off for 26 years, and she has slowly planted the most beautiful succulent garden of grasses, cactuses, herbs and olive trees, which spills from the grounds to the edge of the beach. Rena is one of the warmest people I have met, and her husband and one of her sons run boat trips. Natalia Charogianni

Abandoned sulphur mines of Milos, Cyclades

Photograph: Getty Images

There can be no more breathtaking backdrop to a dip in the Aegean than the abandoned sulphur mine of Milos. The stunning bay of Paliorema can be accessed via a dirt road, although the scramble down the cliff to the golden shingle is not for the faint-hearted. Hire a 4×4 to get as close as possible. Once at the beach, you can wander freely around the abandoned buildings, where it appears the miners may be back at any moment to start work. Follow up your visit at the Mining Museum in Adamas, which includes a video about workers in the sulphur mine before it was permanently closed in 1978. Milos’s charms are only enhanced by the fact that it has not relied on tourism for survival like some of its better-known neighbours. Sarah Leppard

The Aegean Sea: island-hopping

A tsipouro drink with meze and great view to the Aegean in Tinos. Photograph: Alamy

The Aegean islands – and in particular those of the Cyclades such as Mykonos, Naxos, Syros, Tinos and Andros – are a great starter pack for Greek island newbies, yet no less attractive to those already won over by the sun, sea, fabulous views and wonderful food and hospitality that the islands are known for. They are easily accessible direct by air from a number of UK airports – fly to Mykonos in around four hours for the full-on luxury, cocktail-sipping whitewash experience. Or make a Greek island cruise of it by taking the ferry from Athens. With the choice of two ports close to Athens and both fast and slow ferry options, the added option of island hopping is irresistible. In around 4½ hours (two hours on a faster Seajet) you can be in Tinos, savouring the local produce it is known for. Time your visit with the artichoke festival in May or the raki festival in September and enjoy a locally brewed beer listening to jazz by the waterfront. Or you could be in Andros, hiking the well-maintained ancient paths, or spectacular Syros, with its elegant architecture – sitting among it if you’re there during the intimate annual film festival in July. They are so closely grouped, you can even base yourself on one island and do day trips, say to Mykonos when you tire of the fabulous sandy beaches on Naxos. The ferries are modern, safe, frequent and relatively cheap. For the most economical journey, leave from the port of Rafina and take a conventional ferry. fetarm

Donoussa, Cyclades

Donoussa is the quietest of the smaller Cyclades islands, hidden behind much larger Naxos. Traditionally described as off the beaten track, it has reinvigorated itself in recent years as younger people move back from Athens to work in family businesses. There are some great new restaurants, such as To Auli in the main (small) village and an organic beach bar at nearby Kedros bay. An excellent new walking guide (in Greek and English) opens up the hills, while a minibus service will carry you back from the other side of the island on the only road. There are regular ferries from Athens but arrive on the local Express Skopelitis from Naxos for the best experience – this ferry also offers lots of short-journey, island-hopping options. zephleggin

Hydra, Saronic Islands

Photograph: Shelley Paterson

Hydra, retreat for chic Athenians, as well as families with children, is just a half-hour ferry hop from the capital. It’s car-free, so you can meander through winding streets or take a donkey ride. Breakfast on mellow coffee with walnut cake or cheesecake while overlooking the marina packed with yachts. Hop on a ferry to whisk you to close-by islands or bob on a dingy up the coast. Next, window shop local painting and silverwork on your way to lunch. Lunch! Try spit-roast lamb with garlicky greens, soft flatbreads and feta salad, which comes without the asking. Nap on a sandy beach. If you do stay the night, breakfast on fried eggs in fruity olive oil. Shelley Paterson

Kefalonia, Ionian

Photograph: Rachel Hughes/Getty Images

Kefalonia is the loveliest of islands: pristine blue-flag beaches, the vibrant greens of sacred, pine-clad Mount Enos, the constant cerulean sky. It is the largest of the Ionian Islands and exploring the mountain roads of its lush interior can provide glorious solitude, even in peak season. We stayed in the friendly, low-key resort of Skala . Ten minutes north is Kaminia beach, a nesting site for loggerhead turtles – the nests marked with tiny wooden barricades by volunteers. Perfect swimming, views of misty Zante and a very Greek kantina serving homemade burgers and feta- garnished salads. Tony Hulse

Cretan treats for veggies and vegans

ThirdEye, Paleochora, Crete

Western Crete is an awesome place to visit with magnificent mountains, beautiful beaches and loads of history. Away from the gulf of Chania, tourism is relatively low key. In addition, there are at least two excellent veggie eating places. We discovered Third Eye in Paleochora in 1999 after many years of island hopping and surviving on Greek salad! We’ve returned each year since to enjoy its eclectic mix of dishes. As well as traditional Cretan dishes (such as boureki and moussaka) other dishes are inspired by the owners’ travels in Asia and they use much locally grown produce. The town is lovely, with two beaches and the remains of a Venetian castle. The bus journey from Chania Town provides extraordinary panoramas, as the route crosses the island and climbs into the mountains. Last year we lunched in Chania Town in another long-established family-run vegetarian restaurant To Stachi , a wonderful place to escape from the crowds around the harbour. Advocating Slow Food, this gem is close to the sea and the eastern city walls. Again, it does delicious veggie versions of traditional dishes using local organic produce. JAHark

Source: 10 great Greek islands: readers’ travel tips | Travel | The Guardian

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Georgia: Land of Myths and Mountains

from £1,780

Georgia’s beauty is legendary and takes many forms. From the cobbled streets and hidden squares of old Tbilisi to the...

Save £100pp

Mt Toubkal Long Weekend

Mount Toubkal, known locally as Jebel Toubkal, stands 13,671ft (4,167m) above sea level and commands superb panoramic...

Marrakech & the Sahara

from £1,049

Experience the grandeur of the Sahara as we journey from Marrakech across the High Atlas Mountains to the palm groves of...

Walking in North Cyprus

from £1,249

North Cyprus: Unknown to many, yet decorated with countless historic treasures. This walking adventure uncovers a land...

Sierra de Aitana Trek

from £1,449

Although close to the Costa Blanca, the dramatic massif of Sierra de Aitana has remained a secret from all but a few...

Walking the Picos de Europa

from £1,495

The Picos de Europa, the third-highest mountain range in Spain, is a region of dramatic limestone peaks and lush valleys....

Walk Spain's Sierra Nevada & Granada

from £1,499

The Sierra Nevada towers over southern Spain. Much of this dramatic landscape is a protected biosphere reserve, rich in...

Walking the Island of Madeira

Discover the wild and varied scenery of Madeira, from gentle strolls along flower-lined levadas (centuries-old waterways)...

Highlights of Morocco

from £1,545

Experience the very best of Morocco, from mazey medinas and lively souks to the broad-shouldered Atlas Mountains and...

river cruise holidays

Amsterdam, Kinderdijk and the Dutch Bulbfields River Cruise - MS Emily Brontë

The Danube's Imperial Cities and Yuletide Markets River Cruise - MS William Wordsworth

from £1,199

Enjoy a guided tour of the fascinating Hungarian capital Budapest, imperial city of two halves straddling the mighty...

Danube Christmas Markets

from £1,414

Rhine Christmas Markets

The danube's imperial cities and yuletide markets river cruise - ms thomas hardy.

Solo travel

Amsterdam, Kinderdijk and the Dutch Bulbfields River Cruise for solo travellers - MS Geoffrey Chaucer

from £1,549

Experience historic maritime cities, where innovation meets the traditions of the past, plus the authenticity of iconic...

Burgundy, the River Rhône and Provence River Cruise - MS William Shakespeare

from £1,599

Douro, Porto and Salamanca River Cruise - MS Douro Elegance

One of Europe’s best kept secrets in one of its most undiscovered corners, explore the sleepy villages and medieval towns...

Rhine and Moselle River Cruise - MS Emily Brontë

from £1,614

Explore the historic cities of the mighty Rhine and the quintessential half-timbered wine villages of the serene Moselle,...

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If you are looking for a holiday last minute, then we've got you covered. We offer affordable last minute holidays from  cruise deals , to cottages , rail journeys , Eurostar breaks  and more.

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My travel dream for 2023: top 12 readers’ tips | Travel

Winning tip: a perfect ’stan.

Covid willing, we’ll be heading to Kyrgyzstan. It’s at that perfect point where the infrastructure supports a great travel experience, but it’s not become spoiled by tourists. Bishkek is modern and vibrant, and in the stunning rural areas it’s possible to stay with nomads living the traditional life. It’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with delicious locally sourced food. Kyrgyz community-based tourism proved an affordable way to experience the life of horse-riding nomads living in yurts, and the money goes into the community itself. Minnie Martin

Where the map takes us, Wester Ross

The west coast of Scotland is our wild goal. During the neverending house tidy of 2020, we found the Gairloch & Ullapool area OS map and pored over it – a bit of geography home learning for my son, who liked the wriggly contour lines and the consonant-heavy names of the lochs and mountains. We’ll take the high road to Gairloch to see orca and minke ( Hebridean Whale Cruises , £64 adult, £35 child), stay in a wooden wigwam at Sands campsite (from £52pp), and walk to the beach humming the Skye boat song. Nancy Gladstone

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Guardian Travel readers’ tips

Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers’ tips homepage

Island dream, Lundy

My son, daughter and I have been making lists of where we want to go since the first lockdown. We’ve booked a few days on Lundy for next August in the hope that it will be safe to travel again by then. It only involves a five-hour drive to Ilfracombe, Devon, and then a couple of hours on HMS Oldenburg (which for my three-year-old boy will be the holiday made before we even get there). We’ll stay in Castle Cottage , in the keep of a castle built by Henry III in 1250. There’s nothing to do but explore cliffs, beaches and lighthouses, and look for the crashed bomber plane in the heather. And there’s no internet. Kate Attrill

All a-Twitter for York

I’d love to go to York and visit the Yorkshire Museum as their wonderful tweets – mainly about odd or mysterious items in their collection – have kept me entertained and brought history alive this year. A pint or two in the city’s ancient pubs and a wander home to characterful lodgings would just cap a cultural visit off nicely! Liz

Mind-Boggling Whitby, North Yorkshire

Low cost and close to home, a stay with the YHA at Boggle Hole is always a welcome relief. A converted watermill with a reception, bar and cosy sitting room complete with a log fire and leather couches, it’s in a pebbled cove overlooking the sea, with wooded cliffs on either side. Go in spring or early autumn and the prices are as low as £29 a night. Walk across the sandy beach to Robin Hoods Bay or over the jagged cliffs to Ravenscar to see the seals. Safiya El-Gindy

Golden Glasgow

I long for the wide expansiveness of Glasgow boulevards: west-facing, bathed in the golden glow of light glancing off sandstone. I long for the cobbled alleyways, armpit-piled bookshops, curiosity shops crammed with treasure; and also the glitzy, glassy, high street emporiums filled with unafforded luxuries. I long for views of the university, the Campsie Fells, the high flats, the rivers snaking through. And the tearooms, pubs, gastropubs, curry houses, Asian street food haunts, delis and restaraunts high end and greasy spoon. It’s only two hours away but has been impossibly out of reach. I long for full immersion, to be sated by all its gritty, impossibly romantic, unabashed grandeur. Fiona

Simply sublime, Cotswolds Way

In 2023 I want to carry on enjoying the benefits of the simple pleasures of travelling that 2020 led us to – like walking and talking. I want to walk the Cotswolds Way from Broadway to Bath, breathing in fresh air, wondering at big skies, scanning rolling hills in the distance while getting fitter without going to gyms or swimming in chlorinated pools or using mobile apps. Its 120 miles should take about a week, staying in village pubs along the way. Travel, like life, should be about connecting reality to your imagination by inspiration, which can come in the purest, most simple of forms. Nick

Faroes football

My dream is to fulfil a Covid-delayed bucket-list trip to see the ultimate sporting underdog story, and take my football-crazy nine-year-old on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We will be travelling to see the Faroe Islands play an international match on home turf. They’re due to play Scotland on 12 October in a World Cup qualifier. Fly into the capital, Torshavn, and you can walk to the stadium. Hire a car for the full Faroes experience: it’s the bird-watching capital of Europe. Hotel Streym in Torshavn has Atlantic views and doubles from £90. John Connolly

Harvest festival with a difference, Ukraine

It will take the best part of a day and a half but here’s my plan: a few buses, some trains and a flight from my home in the Ribble valley to Ukraine, crossing the Polish border at Przemyśl. I’m expecting Lviv to be “bruised but not broken” as the Ray Davies song goes, with coffee, cake and varenyky (dumpling) culture still largely intact. I plan to go in August for the Saviour of the Apple feast, an Eastern Orthodox celebration of harvest. The reason for going is not necessarily the destination or the festival but the sweet joy of a long journey to a foreign land and interaction with strangers at long last. Martin Charlesworth

Totally ore-some, Mauritania

For 2023, I want to travel somewhere that is remote with low population density and gives me an adrenaline rush. After a bit of research, I’ve chosen to go on the iron ore train in Mauritania. The 700km journey on a cargo train from the north of the country to the west coast takes around 34 hours. This train is among the world’s longest and heaviest and riding it is totally free. From time to time, I look at the photos and videos of the journey on the internet and instantly get goosebumps. See for yourself. It’s total madness. Venkata K C Tata

Silk Road: Samarkand to Baku

As we enter 2023 with unbridled hope and optimism for a better year filled with limitless freedom and a vaccinated global population, never have I wanted more to return to completing my journey of the Silk Road, started in 2019. Beginning in Xi’an and Kashgar, China, I headed west to Almaty, Kazakhstan, before crossing over into Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. My trip allowed just enough time to reach dazzling Samarkand in Uzbekistan. My trip ended at the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, a breathtaking marvel from which I hope to restart my adventure in 2023. My aim is to reach Tehran, from where I will return to Baku, one of my favourite cities, for a deserved cup of coffee. Scott Strachan

Mountain overload, Georgia

I want to be overwhelmed by Georgia’s Kazbegi region again. I want to get so exhausted by marvellous hikes – where I will not meet a soul – that the next day will be spent on a balcony with a book that gets little attention because the mountains take my breath away. I will only leave that balcony to eat terrific vegetarian Georgian food, with the same view. That balcony I left and want to return to is at Rooms Hotel , where doubles go for $100 – steep by Georgian standards but worth it and not as steep as those mountain slopes. Franka Hummels

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