Overseas
Searching for Sugarlandia – The Philippines with Don Papa Rum
I’ve always been captivated by the stories behind Scotland’s whiskies. Tales of illicit stills, brave pioneers, families working together and on occasion tearing each other apart, have always been whispered on the wind that sways the fields of barley and in the rushing rivers that provide the crystal-clear water that make Scotch whisky. Today, they…
Read MoreREVIEW: Viking Cruises,Treasures of the Rhine
I’ll be honest. I never thought I’d embark on a cruise. The very concept was enough to raise the blood pressure. Tacky entertainment, screaming children, unimaginative food, and the inability to find five minutes’ peace? For the sake of sanity, I’d rather stay at home. But that was before I was introduced to Viking Cruises,…
Read MoreReview: Leukerbad, Switzerland
There are three main reasons for visiting this achingly scenic ski resort in the Swiss Valais region: the thermal springs which the town claims are the biggest in the Alps, an eight-hour Via Ferrata which is the scariest I’ve ever seen, and access to some quite amazing ski touring. Skiing This is a small resort…
Read MoreReview: We take to the slopes for some skiing in Alta Badia
Alta Badia in the South Tyrol, which features on the World Cup downhill circuit each year, is part of the famous Sella Ronda and also integral to the massive Dolomiti Superski ski area, is one of the key ski resorts in the Italian Dolomites. With its stunning panoramas, laid-back vibe, beautiful little villages, predominantly blue…
Read MoreA green revolution in the Alps: why Les Arcs remains the go-to resort for skiers
Les Arcs is easy to get to, relatively inexpensive and has a huge variety of skiing – which is why it remains a go-to resort for skiers from these shores. But now it is also ploughing a green ecologically sympathetic furrow that is also winning it plaudits, finds Richard Bath. Les Arcs in a nutshell…
Read MoreUnbridled luxury at Hostal de La Gavina on Spain’s Costa Brava
I’VE seldom been in as good company as we graze on a seemingly infinite selection of tapas and gaze across the tiled courtyard garden at Hostal de La Gavina. Framed prints of Spanish royalty and a host of Hollywood’s finest including Elizabeth Taylor, Sean Connery and Jack Nicholson reveal just some of the guests who…
Read MoreA skiing renaissance at Chilly Powder in the French Alps
Morag Bootland dons her skis after a three-decade long hiatus and takes to the slopes in the French Alps. THIRTY years is a long time in anyone’s book, but the more people I asked the more I was told that skiing is just like riding a bike. Once you’ve done it once you never truly…
Read MoreSKIING – SWITZERLAND’S UNEXPECTEDLY EPIC ANDERMATT
Once an army base and mountain playground for hard-core powder hounds, the Swiss village of Andermatt is in the process of morphing into a luxury ski resort, writes Richard Bath. ANDERMATT IN A NUTSHELL: For almost a century this charming little Alpine village in the scenic Ursern Valley, just 20 miles from Lake Lucerne and…
Read MoreAUSTRIA: THE POWER OF FOUR
The four-resort Skicircus – which includes the grand old ski area of Saalbach – has undergone a radical transformation, writes editor Richard Bath. Why would I ski here? “Skicircus” is basically shorthand for a conglomeration of four alpine towns – Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Leogang, and Fieberbrunn – which together make up the ninth biggest ski region…
Read MoreLes Gets – TIME FOR A QUICK ONE?
If you love skiing but are time poor, Les Gets combines convenience, luxury, and snow quality, writes Richard Bath. Why would I ski here? Les Gets is almost exactly 1hr 15mins from Geneva Airport, so if three-hour transfers have lost their appeal, or if you’re on a tight schedule, then this could be the answer.…
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