A wooden walkway that keeps guests at the bathing establishment Bagno Beppe from leaving footprints in the sand

The Italian playground that's fighting for its soul

Forte dei Marmi's newest hotel looks like it belongs in Miami and its pricey villas are full of Russians. And yet this Tuscan resort is trying very hard to remain authentic, says Sarah Barrell

Spacious vessel: Passengers won't feel constrained aboard the Amsterdam

Set sail around Holland's inland sea

The Zuider Zee may have lost its salt, but it provides the perfect platform for an active family holiday around the historic heart of the Netherlands, says Simon Calder

48 Hours In: Zürich

Switzerland's financial centre is surrounded by leafy hills and cooled by a network of water. It's also buzzing with chic shops and eclectic entertainment, as Anthony Lambert discovers

Travel By Numbers: Ramadan

A month of fasting and prayer takes hold in the Islamic world from Wednesday. Peter Harmer counts the ways in which to experience the religious festival...

The finishing touches: Mary, above right, shows Fiona how to create the perfect dinner-party dish

Just add a pinch of expert to a dollop of French countryside

A new bespoke cookery course in the Charente allows students to make the most of this beautiful region and its bounty. Fiona Faulkner reports

Brighton: Oriental excess in seaside Sussex

The preposterous Pavilion is just one dimension of this intriguing urban resort, says Fiona Sturges

WIN! A three-night break for two in London

We've teamed up with Hotels.com – the world's leading hotel booking website – to offer a three-night break for two in London.

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World Expo hits halfway – and organizers hope for sunny days ahead

Expo 20210 Shanghai has hit the halfway mark of its sixth month run and organizers say they have learned from their mistakes - and are promising bigger and better days ahead.

Twin peaks: Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf

48 Hours In: Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's 'marvellous city' is as flamboyant, dramatic and seductive as ever – even in the South American winter.

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Stay the night: A'jia Hotel, Istanbul

Adrian Mourby glides by the congested city on a river taxi ride to this elegant boutique hotel

Throughout August at various locations, English Heritage is putting on Time Travellers Go days to allow children to get creative, handle artefacts, play games and listen to stories

School holidays special: Days out around the UK

You don't have to go too far afield this summer to take a break. Make the most of a weekend, or shape a whole staycation around some fun events. Simone Kane picks her favourites from across the country

Sands of time: Mishal Husain's trip took her back to the deserts of Ras al-Khaimah

Mishal Husain travels back to the UAE

A trip down memory lane is a little tricky if, like me, yours was an expatriate childhood. Mine was spent in the United Arab Emirates – 10 happy years from 1975, when I was two years old – which makes it the first home I can remember. But the UAE isn't somewhere I pass through much these days and my friends from there are scattered across the globe. Even if I did venture back, the ever-changing urban landscape is more than likely to have rendered once-familiar locations unrecognisable.

Cross purpose: Marie's quest to find her great-grandmother's grave, pictured, in Rumia, Poland, provided the inspiration for a uniquely personal travel tale

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