Walk in the footsteps of gods, heroes and monsters: five trips to mythical Greece Discover where supplicants consulted Apollo in Delphi, the infant Hermes hid stolen cattle and where Poseidon created a love nest for a sea nymph Some stories never get old. The poems and songs from Greek mythology – tales of tragedy, love […]

From cool Marseille to a photo-feast in Arles – an art trail through Provence The French cities of Marseille, Aix, Avignon and Arles boast a wealth of museums and festivals showing work by contemporary artists. Here’s how to make the most of a dazzling cultural summer My wife and I moved from London to Marseille […]

Fancy a European art break with fewer crowds? Try one of these five cities Forget queuing at the Louvre or the Uffizi. You’ll find a fresh perspective on everything from medieval to modern art in places like Lille, Verona and Zurich Zurich may be known as a financial centre, but it has a creative side, […]

‘The heart of Munich’s underground scene’: exploring edgy Schlachthofviertel Butcher’s shops and dive bars sit side by side in a district where you can swap the touristy beer halls of the city centre for raw creative energy In the south-west of Munich, Schlachthofviertel is an area in flux; a jarring district that is home to […]

‘It feels like an independent republic’: Madrid’s new arty barrio of Carabanchel This traditional neighbourhood ‘across the river’ is where the city’s creatives are heading as the centre heats up Madrid’s current boomtown dynamics are driving the city centre way upmarket, pushing the average punter to outer barrios in search of cheaper rent. As seen […]

‘Neighbourhood renaissance’: once noble La Sanità in Naples is open for business again After decades in the shadows, the residents of this historic quarter came together to launch local businesses and make the area an attractive proposition once more My favourite way to enter Rione Sanità is by elevator: descending from a bridge into cobblestoned […]

Time-travelling in Cantabria: from the stone age to Sartre via the ‘prettiest town in Spain’ On the north coast of Spain you can see some of the world’s oldest art, explore a stunning medieval village, then watch surfers ride Atlantic swells Exploring the area west of Santander feels like being in a time machine. Within […]

Mysterious Marrakech: why I never tire of Morocco’s Red City With its never-ending street theatre and labyrinthine medina, this timeless city swallows you whole – and reveals new secrets with each visit The rising sun sets fire to the snow-covered caps of the Atlas mountains. Within moments, the shadowy gorges are gleaming with warm terracotta […]

Walking with the weavers 200 years after the Lancashire uprising Former mill towns in the West Pennine Moors tell the story of the workers’ rebellion against power looms, the new machines decimating their livelihoods There’s a massive hole in the ground at the top of Whinney Hill – a shale quarry that once supplied raw […]

Cool design and wild art on a city break in Metz, north-east France The small city in the Lorraine region has been put on the map with the aid of two Parisian heavyweights – a loan from the Pompidou Centre and designer Philippe Starck’s quirky new hotel As I stand and look at a six-metre skeleton […]