CATEGORIES

WATER OF LIFE

The River Spey supplies the water for around half of Scotland's fabled distilleries, producing some of the most illustrious - and often most expensive - malts in Caledonia. The region is a place of pilgrimage for whisky-lovers, some of whom cycle and hike between cosy nooks and spicy drams. Others choose to be fully immersed on a canoeing and wild camping adventure

Spirits of the sacred forest

MADAGASCAR IS HOME TO COLOURFUL CHAMELEONS, FIERCE FOSSAS AND OVER 100 SPECIES OF LEMUR. BUT WITH MUCH OF THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLAND'S WILDLIFE FACING EXTINCTION, ITS INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND ECO LODGES ARE FOCUSED ON CONSERVING THEIR PRECIOUS HABITATS

ULTIMATE ITALY

Famed for its crowd-pleasing cuisine, cypress-cloaked landscapes and elegant palazzos, Italy offers enough for a lifetime of new discoveries. From a coastal road trip through Calabria to street art tours in Turin and dining in the shadow of Mount Etna, here are 21 experiences that cast the country in a different light

MEXICO CITY

Welcome to Mexico City — a fascinating and chaotic sprawl of 25 million people where lively weekend craft markets are held in leafy parks, mariachis serenade in neighbourhood plazas and the air carries the aroma of roasted corn from roaming street sellers. Once just seen as the region's gateway city, Mexico's capital has grown in popularity in recent years, and there are an increasing number of hotels in the city's trendiest locales. The historic centre has experienced a resurgence, with beautiful hotel conversions of heritage buildings. Beyond it, buzzing neighbourhoods such as Roma, Condesa and Coyoacán are where to head for stylish guesthouses.

NAPA VALLEY

It may be synonymous with vineyards and bold Cabernet Sauvignon, but dig deeper and you'll find experimental menus rich in local produce and a gutsy craft beer movement that prove there's more to the region than grapes

Meeting of minds

LITERARY FESTIVALS ARE ALL OVER THE UK AND IRELAND THIS MONTH, IN LOCATIONS JUST AS APPEALING AS THE BOOKS THEY SHOWCASE

Fall Costa Rica to Cape Town Trips to inspire

Trek ancient pilgrimage routes, explore ruined temples and see life and death on a holy river - here are five epic itineraries perfect for adventurous travellers. Words: Dom Tullet

CITY LIFE LEEDS

Buoyed by a year-long festival of culture in 2023, Yorkshire's economic powerhouse has become a hive of creativity with shops, food and events that give a nod to the city's industrial past while looking to the future

CITY LIFE ACCRA

Ghana's beachside capital has become one of the most exciting places in Africa for artists and grassroot creative enterprises, with studios and galleries filling the gaps between raucous clubs and bustling markets

HONEY HUNTERS

The Gurung ethnic group has been collecting wild honey in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal for centuries, risking their lives to harvest the sticky combs from cliff nests using ancient techniques handed down through the generations. The honey hunters will leave their village with porters to carry their food, water and equipment, and head into the forest to face the largest honeybees in the world

IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE ANCESTORS

On the beaches of remote Western Australia, where the sea is the same colour as the sky, the next generation of Aboriginal gameledes (custodians) have reclaimed their heritage and are using tourism to showcase their customs and knowledge to travellers in meaningful ways

ISLAND SPIRIT

Downtown Kingston is in the throes of a creative rebirth, while across the country, Jamaica's farmers and fishers are carving a new path, with enterprises such as a floating clubhouse and waterfall retreats. Six decades after independence from the British, this Caribbean island nation is looking to a brighter future

THE GREEK ISLANDS

GREECE'S NUMEROUS ISLES ARE BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR IDYLLIC BEACHES, TOES-IN-THE-SAND TAVERNAS AND LAIDBACK PACE OF LIFE. BUT FOR THOSE WILLING TO EXPLORE A LITTLE FURTHER, CLOUD-CIRCLED CLIFFTOP VILLAGES, LOCAL MARKETS STOCKED WITH MOUNTAIN HERBS AND SECRET STRETCHES OF SAND AWAIT. THERE'S A GREEK ISLAND TO SUIT EVERY TRAVELLER IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK

EAT DUNDEE

Come for the pies and cake, stay for the locally brewed IPA, spiced gin and a bounty of fish and fresh game, all ingredients in Dundee's current culinary renaissance

PICASSO The making of an icon

50 YEARS SINCE PICASSO'S PASSING, EXHIBITIONS AROUND SPAIN DELVE INTO THE ARTIST'S LIFE

COPENHAGEN DESIGN FOR LIFE

Taking the title of World Capital of Architecture for 2023, the Danish city is a model of sustainable urban living

THE DRINK : Remarkable rums

MATURE AND DIVERSE IN STYLE, SIPPING RUMS REPRESENT THE SPIRIT AT ITS MOST COMPLEX. WORDS: THE THINKING DRINKERS

Oman

If you head southwest from Muscat into Oman's interior, you'll find Ad Dakhiliyah, a jagged, mountainous region dotted with mud villages and luscious oases, where cardamom-infused coffee, soft dates and dark halwa are the sweet symbols of Omani hospitality

FJORDS FARMS & FISHERMEN

In the sparsely populated Eastern Region of Iceland, in the fjord of Berufjörður, farmer Auja Stefánsdóttir and her family serve up a traditional feast of distinctly Icelandic dishes

VOLCANIC VICTORIA

The terrain of southwest Victoria is home to some of Australia's best and most abundant produce. Dormant volcanoes are planted with vines, eels swim in crater lakes and the bush is a 'supermarket' stocking everything from wattleseed to warrigal greens

DECONSTRUCT CASSOULET

With more than one town laying claim to this bean-and-meat stew, its exact origins are unclear. But one thing is certain - the dish is a centuries-old French classic

UP IN SMOKE

On the east coast of Scotland, the residents of Arbroath and the neighbouring village of Auchmithie are striving to keep a famous culinary tradition alive - smoking racks of split and salted haddock over hardwood, in the same way they have for centuries.

Gourmet getaways

All great weekends away need a crowning moment an activity that forms the heart of the trip. It could be an exhibition, a hike, or a night at the opera. But why not put your taste buds first? Europe is full of iconic restaurants, with menus bursting with creativity places to save up for and plan a short trip around. So from Massimo Bottura’s Modena tavern to Raymond Blanc’s Oxfordshire mansion, here’s our pick of the best.

WHERE TO EAT

From South West France to South Wales, there are many places to try cassoulet, whether traditional or with a twist

ALBERT FRANCH SUNYER - THE PIONEER

AT HELSINKI ZERO-WASTE RESTAURANT NOLLA, CHEF ALBERT FRANCH SUNYER DEDICATES HIMSELF TO BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE AND CELEBRATING LOCAL PRODUCE IN ALL ITS FORMS. WORDS: LOUISE LONG

On the menu

FROM AN IRANIAN DESSERT IN NEW YORK TOA VEAL STEW IN SALZBURG, HERE’S OUR PICK OF SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST NOODLE DISHES

Know your noodles

WHETHER BULKING OUT A BROTH OR TAKING A DESSERT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, NOODLES ARE A VITAL INGREDIENT IN COUNTLESS GLOBAL CUISINES.

MY LIFE IN FOOD - SHANIA TWAIN

The Canadian singer on hearty stews, living in Switzerland and the joys of a good tomato

Winter Hiking

Head for the hills this season, whatever the weather, with our pick of the best winter walking gear

Water, Wheels Wildlife

History and adventure make Shrewsbury an ideal getaway with teens