Opera in the woods

This month...

…as summer sets in, we’re offering a fine array of

Postcards

WHERE YOU’VE BEEN AND WHAT YOU’VE SEEN

Globetrotter

A WORLD OF TRAVEL NEWS AND DISCOVERIES

Easy Trips

THIS MONTH... music festivals on the continent, a sci-fi exhibition in London, lavender in Kent, beach life in Paris and more

ALTERNATIVE FESTIVALS

Look ahead to late summer and bag remaining tickets for these fab European music festivals - you may not even need to pack wellies

The future is here

Time travel, dystopian worlds, artificial intelligence and the apocalypse converge

Summer in Paris

Bastille Day celebrations on 14 July ring the starting bell

Lavender mania

From mid-June to early August, fields at Castle Farm in

Sleep in the middle

The village of Meriden has long claimed to lie at

Jacobite travels

A major new exhibition is the perfect excuse for a

Cary Arms

This little patch of east Devon can get overwhelmingly busy

Great Escape NORTHERN ITALY

Touch down in Milan, home to the country’s most inventive minds. From here, follow a route of enduring or rediscovered classics: admire Lake Como from every angle, raise a toast in Soave and Bassano del Grappa, and relive the experience of travellers over the centuries who have all been mesmerised by Venice

Before the gold rush

Follow the trail of fortune-hunters through the mountains of South Africa and end with animal encounters on one of the country’s original safaris

ONE STEP BEYOND

Set out on foot to explore La Gomera, the Canary Island that time forgot – a volcanic land shaped by cloud forests, folk legends and ancient hiking paths

Iceland

Full-strength beer has been legal in Iceland for less than 30 years. But the country’s craft beer scene has accelerated at an impressive rate

France

Bière artisanale (craft beer) is still a small scene in this wine-centric country – but it’s proving a worthy match for France’s rich cuisine

Czech Republic

Here in one of the Old World’s most historic beer destinations, the pivo scene is as dynamic as ever

USA

The global craft beer phenomenon was arguably invented in the US. In terms of variety, innovation and flavour, it’s still leader of the pack

China

China’s brewing scene has thrived with its economic expansion

Your great BRITISH SUMMER

From seaside equestrian escapades in Dorset to wild dips in the Lake District’s glassy waters, get outside with the UK’s 15 outstanding open-air adventures

Fields of Old

The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces extend for nearly 400 square

Weekend in Brighton

Party town, seaside suntrap, shopping hotspot: Brighton makes a thoroughly fun, quintessentially English weekend getaway, with heritage sights and a busy food scene

Historic Provence and Côte d’Azur

Once part of Roman Gaul, Provence is crammed with Roman treasures, medieval villages and dazzling modern-art relics

Budget Budapest

Bohemian Budapest is an elegant city with a junkyard heart that combines centuries of history with charming ‘ruin pubs’, socialist leftovers and plenty of cheap attractions

Food & drink in Helsinki

The Finnish capital’s watery geography, cutting-edge design and carefully preserved heritage provide the perfect backdrop for its flourishing, local-focused food scene

Cyclades island life

With atmospheric archaeological sites, postcard-worthy beaches, beautiful hiking trails and a blossoming food scene, these are the Greek islands of your dreams

Culture in Mumbai

Mumbai is a fascinating city of furious energy and millions of people, where astounding colonial-era architecture jostles with temples, slums and fashionable enclaves

What on Earth?

1 It’s 100 years since the Battle of Aqaba, as