Liberal, fun-loving Tel Aviv is too often defined by what it’s not; this is not Jerusalem, this is no city of antiquity. What it is, is a vibrant, high-octane capital blessed with gorgeous Mediterranean beaches and an epic social scene that seems capable of serving up a party at any hour of the day. It’s […]

Historically one of America’s most revolutionary cities, the unofficial capital of New England remains a forward-thinking and liberal leader in contentious political issues. There are hordes of higher education facilities lurking amid twisting streets, creating a highly educated and discerning populace, and a strong, intellectual cultural base is complimented by a twenty-first century explosion in […]

How do you like your capitals? Well done, with a strong hint of the medieval, winding cobbled streets and Gothic domes, smothered in classical character? Or medium-rare and full of life, with modern boulevards and busy plazas, hip boutiques and a hearty social and cultural scene? A tale of two cities, Buda on the west […]

South Africa is founded on a strong national pride – and with good reason. It is known as one of the most naturally beautiful, diverse and culturally rich countries in the world. From the spring flowers of Namakwa to the eerie desert of the Kalahari, the buzzing nightlife of Cape Town to the mountain paradise […]

An Asian island city-state located off the coast of Malaysia, Singapore is the fourth largest financial centre in the world and is often regarded as the most open, business-friendly economy. With a 50 percent expatriate workforce it also has the highest percentage of foreign worker of any country and can legitimately claim to be the […]

Ireland is one of the best kept secrets in Europe. With dramatic coastland, misty mountains and lush, green valleys, you can lose yourself in its inspiring wilderness. Cormorants skim the surface of the glacial lakes of Kilarney National Park, while lonely fishing villages cling to the coastal downs of the Connemara hinterland. Stand on the […]

This is the oldest of the imperial cities in Morocco and was at the centre of Arab influence during the Renaissance era, while many Moroccans still see it as the true cultural heart of their country. It doesn’t bare its soul as easily as the more extrovert Marrakesh, yet the veil of Arab mystic that […]

In an ideally imagined desert, towering dunes of sand ripple across a vast, desolate expanse, punctuated by only an occasional oasis of procession of goats led by white-robed Bedouin. Welcome to Oman’s Wahiba Sands and the picture-perfect interior that could have been drawn by Disney. Large swathes remain pristine and untouched, from the great rocky […]

21st century friction between China and the USA is evidence of just how powerful the Chinese have become. The economy is the second largest in the world and the country has ever increasing influence over world affairs. They also see things very differently from the West and the emphasis on the collective over the individual […]

Bangkok may be the economic heartbeat of the nation, but Chiang Mai is the culture centre of a more authentic Thailand. Older than the capital and littered with ancient pagodas and golden temples, this is also the place to shop for handcrafted goods or explore Thai traditions past and present. Chiang Mai is at its […]

Cambodia is a country of misty mountains, ancient pagodas, tropical sanctuaries and long-abandoned cave temples. It has also seen one of the bloodiest genocides of the twentieth century. After emerging from 30 years of turmoil in the late 1980s Cambodia has made great progress, but the legacy of the Khmer Rouge still lingers and it […]

A busy, bustling, booming San Marco Piazza welcomes you off the boat and throws you in the deep end of this liquid land. The stunning Saint Mark’s Basilica looms across Andrea Tirali’s pavement as you stroll across the plaza, before losing yourself in the narrow, steep-sided maze of Venice’s ancient streets and bridges. Gondolas flow […]