Europe

Christmas markets are big business in Switzerland.  Almost all major and smaller cities start setting up festive stalls towards mid-November to bring locals and tourists alike into the much-needed Christmas spirit.  Whether you opt for a smaller or longer Christmas market, they are held mainly between mid-November and 24 December.  Some are open for weeks, some just for a couple of days.

Set between the bustling city of Frankfurt on the Main river and the peaceful hilltops of the Taunus, is the charming spa town of Bad Hamburg.  The area has a lot to offer in addition to its ideal location, is the perfect balance between tradition and modern.  Exhibitions and live concerts lure the culture enthusiasts while the town’s famous casino Bad Hamburg - since 1841, turns night into day for many.  You can enjoy its beautiful parks, visit Bad Hamburg’s historical Royal Day Spa, or you can go shopping in its many independent shops.

Each year on the fourth Monday of November, Switzerland’s capital city of Bern holds the Bern’s Zibelemärit (Onion Market), a very special folk festival.  The event draws farmers from the surrounding areas brining more than 50 tonnes of onions to Bern for this famous Zibelemärit.  From about 5am visitors, farmers and hundreds of stalls line the picturesque Old Town selling everything to do with onions and garlic.

Head down a dusty track along Herdade da Comporta, an expanse of coastline just an hour from busy Lisbon, and you could find any number of surprises. You will see solitary majestic villas - one reason why this stretch of sand in the rural Alentejo region has been compared to the Hamptons of the 1970s - or, like me, a sapphire-coloured expanse of lake with dragonflies dancing across its surface.

Northern Ireland is full of striking landscapes and rich farmland. Its people are no less unique: hospitable, laid-back, the perfect hosts. What’s more, Belfast and the Causeway Coastal Route were voted best in Travel 2018 by Lonely Planet.

Let’s be honest. Salzburg in Austria might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think of a romantic city break – but that’s part of what makes it the perfect place for one. The city doesn’t shout too loudly about its many charms, but those savvy couples that do visit will be richly rewarded with stunning sights, blissful views and so many romantic restaurants and bars that you’ll be planning your return before your holiday is even over.

With the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death last year, interest in one of her most frequent haunts, the spa city of Bath, was rekindled. With attractive Regency architecture at every turn, genteel tea rooms aplenty and the centrally located Jane Austen Centre, it's the perfect place to indulge in one's inner Mr Darcy/Lizzy Bennet fantasies. But this is a tale of three cities: the Georgian masterpiece, the Ancient Roman retreat and the trendy, modern city. A weekend break means you can take in all three sides.

Thanks to its rich history of skiing and other winter sports, SalzburgerLand is usually associated with action and exhilaration. But the whole area around the city of Salzburg is also a fantastic place for relaxation, thanks to its wealth of thermal spas (or ‘thermen’).

It can be difficult to know what to look for when choosing a city break. Cultural hotspot? Foodie paradise? Or maybe you want to get back to nature? Solve the problem by going somewhere that has it all: Madrid, along with its own unique charms - it's the perfect base from which to explore four incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Where are you having dinner tonight? Instead of trudging home to eat a takeaway in front of the TV, you could be enjoying a four-course meal in your cosy chalet in the French Alps with free-flowing wine (and no washing up after).  After a day on the slopes, you'll have worked up an appetite, so there is nothing more welcoming than a home-cooked meal along with some great conversation to get you in the mood to party.