Breaking barriers

The Berlin Wall becomes a force for good at the Brussels Art Fair, where model trains rumble through an international selection

Wishful Thinking For 2020

Predictions for the interior-design world in the year ahead

‘We identify what is good about Britain'

The director-general of the National Trust on how the charity fulfills 21st-century needs

Medieval secrets, new ideas

Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire One of Britain’s earliest post-medieval gardens has been sensitively and authentically restored, yet modernised at the same time. Tiffany Daneff finds the fusion of old and new succeeds on all levels

Reuniting a family collection

An ambitious restoration project undertaken by the National Trust in collaboration with the donor family has transformed one of Northern Ireland’s most important country houses.

Living national treasures

A number of properties in the care of the National Trust are still occupied by the families who gave them to the nation. John Goodall speaks to donors’ descendants who remain closely involved in the life of these places to find how they help keep them alive for the public

If you only climb one mountain

The former director-general reveals her favourite walk on National Trust land

Banking on the spectacular

The story of the family that created one of the National Trust’s best-known houses is revealed to Clive Aslet through its collection of art and furniture

Country Life's Favourite Hotels - Indonesia And Miami, USA

Bawah Reserve, Indonesia

Go Where The Sun Shines

As temperatures plummet and the hours of daylight diminish, Rob Crossan rounds up the best winter-sun destinations for short-, mid- and long-haul holidays

The Big Picture

MY memories of Sri Lanka—where our family used to spend the summers—go back to the mid-1970s.

Country Life's Favourite Hotels

Domaine des Etangs, Massignac, France

Surf And Turf

Africa is home to some of the most diverse flora and fauna in the world. Mark Hedges jets off on a holiday of a lifetime, to the contrasting landscapes and resident animals in the Seychelles and Tanzania

Once In A Lifetime

The 2019 market’s hotspots and highlights in the South of England

Bridging The Seasons

Peter Hughes journeys to St Petersburg, the city of 400 bridges, to experience the annual midsummer White Nights festival

Thinking Inside The Box

Clownish and energetic, yet devoted and trainable, boxer dogs make an entertaining addition to the family–if you don’t mind a bit of drool. Katy Birchall learns more about these former police dogs

Animal Magnitude

Safari trips are about more than merely the animals, says Hetty Lintell, who discovered how much has changed for the better on a recent trip to the African continent

A Fresh Perspective

Friends of COUNTRY LIFE argue in favour of four holiday destinations that have fallen out of favour–thanks to party-hard reputations and mass tourism–and show how you can still do them in style

Poignant Poinsettia

Mark Griffiths on the extraordinary story of human sacrifice, secret agents and international shenanigans behind the Christmas bestseller

The First Crib

The humble stable is so vital to the Nativity that St Francis re-created the scene in a cave with ox and ass, and paintings of Christ in a manger are among the most enduring of all Renaissance images, observes Caroline Campbell

Pulling Power

A good pub within walking distance is on most buyers’ wish lists and can even uphold an area’s value. But what makes the perfect village pub? Arabella Youens investigates

Symphony In Blue And Green

The conductor designate of the London Philharmonic Orchestra on the Norwegian sound

O Come, All Ye Faithful

The tiniest country churches, understated beacons of beauty and rural tranquillity, often have the most loyal support and atmospheric Christmas worship. Kate Green talks to some stalwart churchwardens

One Day I'll Fly Away

Sporting luxury has long been a trademark of the Bentley marque and the new Flying Spur stands as a shining example

Happy And Glorious

The Queen might have been broadcasting her Christmas Day message on television since 1957, but the ritual of gathering to watch at 3pm is as popular as ever, believes Adam Jacot de Boinod

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas

We have Charles Dickens and the Little Ice Age to thank for our obsession with glittery snow scenes and charming Christmas cards, says Felicity Day

Do Not Falter, Little Donkey

Renowned for their stubbornness and comedic ways, donkeys are taking the spotlight in Nativities around the land. Julie Harding meets some Christmas stars

Animal Magic

Vera Akehurst’s Shetland ponies

Very Chilled

The Winter Walk at Harlow Carr, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Steven Desmond finds plenty of colour to cheer up the coldest winter day

The Great Christmas Treat

Drawing on 40 years of experience–and a missing-child story or two–Jonathan Self shares his top tips for planning a family-friendly, festive day out