The ‘Great Men’ of Casa degli Omenoni Tucked away in a little backstreet near Il Duomo, Milan’s famous Cathedral, is Clubino, an exclusive gentlemen’s club. Historically it is better known,  appropriately, as the Casa degli Omenoni – the House of the Great Men (rebuilt 1565-67). Adorning its facade are eight enormous...

Queen Elizabeth marquetry panel I can hear you scoffing at the question, “Is this the Golden Age of Travel?” You might be about to face the joys of a 21st century airport departure, with its lengthy queues, invasive security checks, draconian baggage limits and garish shopping malls. You’re herded onto...

‘The Night Before Christmas’ Grandreams pop-up book I can still remember the simple joy of reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ to my six-month old son as he lay in his cot on Christmas Eve. His bedroom, decorated with ‘Winnie the Pooh’ and Beatrix Potter figures, was dimly lit and...

Please note: this competition is now closed. When you’re planning a holiday to get away from work or rubbish weather, the last thing you want is the headache of slogging through endless travel sites that all claim to have the best deal. That’s why Travel Republic’s ‘lowest price guarantee’ promises...

In a recent interview I was asked, “What’s your travel philosophy?” After a bit of thought,  I replied: “I believe in slow travel, trying to find a different angle to the familiar, going off the beaten track and simply wandering about.  You find out so much about a place by sitting at...

One of the highlights of this year was showing world-class bloggers Keith Jenkins, of Velvet Escape and Simon Falvo of Wild About Travel, around some of my favourite places in the Lake District. Here’s Keith’s account of that trip … Imagine green rolling hills that stretch to the feet of massive,...

“Life is a journey” is seen as a cliché these days yet, as with many clichés it has a resonance to which we can all relate.  The compass is a tangible symbol for the adventure that is life and the different paths and directions we take along the way.  As someone who...