europe holidays
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10 of the best things to do in HamburgThe recent opening of the stunning Elbphilharmonie concert hall put the port city in the spotlight, but there is a host of other attractions, plus great cocktails, design hotels and totally delicious fish sandwiches
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Blue Train reveries: the Paris-to-Nice sleeperGhosts of famous Wagons-Lits trains haunt Andrew Martin as he takes one of the last sleepers to the Riviera -
Staying in style in BarcelonaWith an art gallery, coffee bar, yoga and south-east Asian food, you might find it hard to leave Barcelona’s Casa Bonay hotel – unless you get a craving for tapas -
Aarhus, Denmark: what to see, plus the best restaurants, bars and hotelsThe 2017 European Capital of Culture has cool museums and galleries, and a wide range of modern Nordic food and drink, all within a compact walkable city centre
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'I'm walking, skiing and canoeing from the Russian Arctic all the way to Istanbul'Explorer Charlie Walker is traversing the length of the Ural mountains as part of a triathlon adventure – and a bid to understand the nature of the east-west divide
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2017 travel planner: where to go on holiday … and whenWhether you’re looking for a dream holiday or a last-minute city break, here’s the lowdown on how to find bargains and late deals for all types of getaway from now until December
top 10s
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10 of Europe’s best alternative carnivalsIt’s carnival season in Europe in the lead up to Mardi Gras. We round-up some of the best, beyond the most famous, from festivals dating back centuries to epic parties in Cádiz, Basel and Sicily
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Top 10 Paris jazz clubs – chosen by musicians and expertsParis has always had a strong affinity with jazz, and there’s a wealth of venues to hear trad, modern and avant garde music. Here, performers, producers and critics pick their favourite clubs
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10 of the best foodie experiences in EuropeFrom a chef’s tour of Paris to the new Cornish pasty heritage centre, these mouth-watering trips across Europe are worth savouring
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Top 10 festive food traditions in EuropeWhether it’s cinnamon biscuits in Brussels, potato-anchovy casserole in Stockholm or Christmas pudding with a twist in Copenhagen, there’s a wealth of culinary delights on offer at yuletide
winter sports holidays
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Pop on the piste: Chamonix’s fun new ski hotelNeither cute chalet nor bland concrete block, Chamonix’s Rocky Pop hotel claims to be a chilled new take on winter holidays – and makes a fine base for our beginner snowboarder
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To ski or not to ski? Are the Alps fun without hurtling downhill?Is it possible to have a great time in a winter sports resort without actually strapping on the kit and going skiing or snowboarding? Our writer goes to Austria – to take it easy
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In awe of Åre, the Swedish ski resort now reached by budget flightsNew flights to western Sweden make it easier to try out the friendly ski resort of Åre, which, our writer discovers, has plenty of non-piste activities too
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City breaks with kids: RomeThe Eternal City may be stuffed with classical treasures, but it also has plenty to intrigue kids – who will love the ready availability of pizza and ice-cream
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City breaks with kids: BarcelonaIt’s a favourite destination for adults, but Barcelona has loads to offer kids, whether they’re into football, science, the seaside or amusement parks
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beach holidays
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No stone unturned: my search for the pebble hunter's holy grailInspired by a book I found on holiday, I developed a love of Britain’s rare pebbles. But would I ever find the elusive and beautiful rhomb porphyry?
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activity holidays
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Climbing in the Caucasus: postcard views from the towers of Ushguli, GeorgiaThe people of Ushguli live among some of the highest continuously inhabited villages in Europe and the Unesco-listed Upper Svaneti region’s ancient stone towers only add to the fairytale feel
restaurants
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Top 10 winter city breaks in EuropeWinter is the time for exploring snowy European cities full of cosy cafes – especially when they’re served by budget airlines with low-season fares
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A delicious dinner in Berlin – from food that would have been thrown awayRestlos Glücklich’s meals taste all the better for knowing that they’re made from veg rejected by supermarkets because of damaged packaging or their odd shape
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Alt city guide to LiverpoolLeft-field Liverpool is thriving with a strong DIY culture and an art world bubbling with grassroots projects. Here’s our pick of the most exciting music and culture venues, and the best places to eat and drink
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10 of the best restaurants and bars in San Sebastián – chosen by the expertsThe Basque city of San Sebastián has so many great places to eat it’s hard to narrow it down, so we’ve enlisted local chefs and foodies to select their favourites
Home comforts: the Italian hotel giving refugees a showcase for their culinary skills