Why I’d have another Helsinki city break

a cyclist pedals past some of Helsinki's street art

As someone who errs towards a degree of shabby chic when choosing city break destinations, I wasn’t sure how good a match me and Helsinki would be. I needn’t have worried. Helsinki managed that brilliant trick of balancing “everything just works”, without being glossed and polished to within an inch of its life. Here’s why […]

What’s it like to do the Red Bull ski jump run?

ski jump run Red Bull 400 Lahti Finland

“OMG we’ve GOT to do this!” I enthused, simultaneously holding a glass of wine and shoving the screen of my phone in my husband’s direction. I’d just shown Andrew this … the Red Bull 400. Red Bull 400. Image by Victor Engström and used with permission from the Red Bull Content Pool. It may “only” be […]

25 (more) experiences I’m going to have before I die … updated!

Outside York Minster in a tuk tuk!

Three years after first committing this list of my 25 must-do experiences to my hard drive, here’s my light-hearted look at what’s been accomplished, what’s still “on the list”, and what’s been ditched … Why I put my 25 experiences list in writing When I was in Bologna, I met Judy. Judy introduced me to […]

4 reasons to visit Timişoara, Romania

visit Timisoara2021 Unirii Square architecture

Timişoara was European Capital of Culture in 2021 but it’s relatively undiscovered with plenty to offer visitors. Here’s why you should visit. Reason 1: Architecture in Timişoara is fabulous Its buildings may be less well recognised than those of its Romanian counterparts Sibiu, Sighişoara and Brasov; but Timişoara’s architecture is fabulous. Baroque and Austro-Hungarian influences are […]

Day trips from Catania by public transport

day trips from Catania by public transport - Syracuse Ortygia Piazza del Duomo

Sicily’s second city of Catania makes an ideal base for day trips by public transport to Taormina, Syracuse and Mount Etna. Here’s what to see and how to get there. Catania day trip 1: Taormina – for ancient ruins and vertiginous viewpoints Taormina is famed for its ruined Greek theatre, which dates back to the […]

Best Berlin view: TV Tower or Victory Tower?

Berlin panorama Victory Tower views photos

Which towering landmark offers the best Berlin viewpoint experience? I road-tested the Berlin TV Tower (Fernsehturm) and the Victory Tower (Siegessäule) and rated them on: best workout, best bar, best for being on a budget and best photo opportunities. Here’s what I found out … I love climbing towers. The bring out the big kid […]