‘Stunning lakes and majestic mountains’: readers’ tips from Europe
Across Turkey by train: riding the Mesopotamia Express
June 2024
The lost temples of Lake Titicaca: exploring the less developed Bolivian shore
On the second leg of his Amazon adventure, our writer looks at how tourism is supporting locals in an area of remote beauty and rich cultural heritage Part one: the alternative Machu Picchu
‘It’s like stepping back in time’: an eco-tour across the wilds of Albania
With glorious national parks and a traditional way of life, the Balkan country shows how green travel can benefit locals and visitors alike
The age of extinction
‘They’re not like puppy dogs. They should be respected’: how to swim with sharks in British waters
Mountain highs: biking and bivvying in Slovenia
My mission? A two-day voyage along the Norfolk coast to deliver potatoes for a chip shop
May 2024
Our hitchhiking memories show the depths of human kindness
Letters: Readers were inspired by Hilary Bradt’s experiences and recall their own
April 2024
My four-day rail and ferry adventure from the UK to Albania
From London to Tirana, via Chambéry’s medieval streets, bustling Bari and Albania’s dynamic capital, this trip across Europe has treats at every turn
Confessions of an 82-year-old hitchhiker
The founder of the Bradt travel guides and author of a new memoir has been thumbing lifts all over the world since her teens – and has no intention of stopping now
My hike on the hardest trail in Europe – Corsica’s GR20
Even an ‘easy’ part of this 125-mile walking trail on the French island presents challenges for mind and body, but the rewards for persistence are infinite
March 2024
My hammock was my window on to the valley: a new type of walking trail in the Swiss Alps
The world’s first hammock hiking trail in southern Switzerland takes hikers into quiet corners of the Alps – with their beds in their backpack for lazy pit stops and overnight stays
10 of the best European activity breaks with a spirit of adventure
Fancy seatrekking, swimrunning or bodypainting? These and more familiar outdoor pursuits are on offer at destinations from northern Norway to the Greek islands
Readers' travel tips
Brilliant activity breaks by readers – from Portugal to the Lake District
River trekking, paragliding, cycling and via ferrata feature among our tipsters’ adventurous jaunts across Europe
February 2024
Observer book of the week
Maurice and Maralyn: A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story by Sophie Elmhirst review – how to keep a marriage afloat
This extraordinary true story of a couple lost at sea for 117 days in the 1970s is beautifully retold as an account of the rituals that sustain relationships
January 2024
‘I’ve made friends for life’: Rising number of travellers find going solo is the ticket to happiness
‘If you are not lost within a minute, you’re not trying hard enough’ – my search for magical Morocco
I took on Europe’s toughest trek – Corsica’s spectacular GR20 – and came back changed for the better
My Greek sailing adventure: across the Ionian sea to Ithaca
December 2023
I campervanned across Ireland alone – and climbed as many mountains as I could
Soon after a painful separation, this traveller had to overcome fears of solitude – but the mountains, seas and bars she found helped her let go
