10 best reads for travel junkies
Travel broadens the mind, so they say, but sometimes a good piece of travel writing can be just as effective. So…
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Travel reviews - the shortlist
You took us around the world in 100 words...
We asked you to send us 100-word reviews and photographs of your favourite destinations. From idyllic tropical beaches to heart-thumping adventures, pristine ski slopes, chic city breaks and cosy UK stays, you impressed us with your globetrotting and the incredibly high standard of your travel writing.
We've chosen our five favourite entries from each of the categories (Beach Chill Out, Stylish Skiing, Chic City Break, UK Weekend and Big Adventure) and now it's over to you: vote for your favourite from the 25 shortlisted below (you can only vote once) and the winning review will be published in the magazine's special travel issue on January 18. The winner will also get a luxury alpine holiday at Switzerland's Nira Alpina hotel. The most popular entry in each category will also receive a copy of the new Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection: Italy, featuring the country's most beautiful boutique hotels. Voting closes at 5pm on Tuesday January 10.
Click any image below to open the gallery - and get voting!
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Beach Chill Out - Colombia,…
Contrary to popular belief, Colombia's finest… More details
Beach Chill Out - Colombia, Bikrom Das
Contrary to popular belief, Colombia's finest white powder is its sand. Jump on a creaking buseta at Santa Marta's bustling market, ignore the temptation to join the guidebook exodus at Tayrona, pay your tolls of sweets to the salsa-ing children manning impromptu roadblocks and escape at Palomino, a tiny enclave blessed only with two shops negligently staffed by bored-looking Colombian matriarchs and a stretch of crisp, deserted beach. Find a hammock, edge past the giant iguanas eyeing mosquitoes with lethargic menace, duck the pelicans lazily riding the thermals and let the lapping waves and perfect solitude lull you to nirvana. Bikrom Das
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Beach Chill Out - Anjuna Be…
Listening to steady trance beats in the balmy… More details
Beach Chill Out - Anjuna Beach, Goa, Rebekah Millichip
Listening to steady trance beats in the balmy sun, I didn't need to look around to see the swaying storm-riding palm trees, or the stray dogs barking rhythmically to the roar of the bountiful waves, as my ears told me everything. Local Goan ladies would wander around with Tupperware boxes full of necklaces chirping 'Hello, come see my shop!', young boys playing cricket would shriek and clap. My eyes were firmly shut when suddenly an object brushed my leg; to my amazement stood a scrawny cow. Letting out a sigh it slumped down to the shaded ground, merely inches away. Rebekah Millichip
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Beach Chill Out - Miami, Ra…
Miami, Florida truly is the ‘magic city’. One… More details
Beach Chill Out - Miami, Rachel Greaves
Miami, Florida truly is the ‘magic city’. One of the cleanest cities in the States, the sands are golden and cigarette-butt-free and the sea is so crystal clear a jellyfish can be seen dancing its way along the surf. Suckle on scallops and visit the Art Deco district for breathtaking Gatsby-style architecture. Visiting the Everglades alligator parks will make you work harder for animal rights but the air boat drivers are full of crass jokes and I loved their husky southern twang. Stay at the Jazz Hostel in South Beach for the atmosphere, packed with travellers. Rachel Greaves
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Beach Chill Out - Sydney's …
While away the hours watching northern winds… More details
Beach Chill Out - Sydney's Palm Beach, Emma Hirst
While away the hours watching northern winds fetch the Pacific up in a mist to brush bronze sands. With rocks enrobed in velvet verdure like scattered jewels along the brilliant cobalt waters edge, Sydney’s Palm Beach, fictional town of ‘Summer Bay’ in Home and Away, retains its natural allure even in its milder winter. Neighboring Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park and overlooked by Barrenjoey Lighthouse with panoramic views stretching to Lion Island, whether you prefer to explore, surf or simply crave stillness, Sydney’s northern beaches are a snapshot into an idyllic lifestyle we could all get used to. Emma Hirst
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Beach Chill Out - Galle, Sr…
Resplendent and glorious, Sri Lanka is a tropical… More details
Beach Chill Out - Galle, Sri Lanka, Sonali de Alwis
Resplendent and glorious, Sri Lanka is a tropical land steeped in a rich indigenous culture. I travelled south to the culturally generous southern province of Galle. With waters of crystal clarity, Galle’s beaches are perfect for idling into absolute repose for body and soul. Our luxurious hotel, The Fortress in Koggala, sat in an idyllic location with panoramic and exquisite views extending in all directions and as far as the eye could see. With locally caught seafood on offer daily, an enviable year-round climate, and the warmth of the local people, this is paradise... not lost but found. Sonali de Alwis
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Big Adventure - the Trans-S…
If you’re looking for a holiday, the… More details
Big Adventure - the Trans-Siberian railway, Fiona McCready
If you’re looking for a holiday, the Trans-Siberian railway is not for you. If you’re looking for an adventure, step aboard at Moscow’s Yaraslavsky station, and leave any preconceptions on the platform. On this journey I went forward five hours and back forty years. My home for four nights was a narrow perch in a four-berth cabin, my companions were vodka-swilling, arm-wrestling Russians, and my only entertainment was the slow-changing view from the window. It felt like a lifetime before I stepped off into the crisp icy air of Siberia; the most welcome breath of fresh air in many ways. Fiona McCready
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Big Adventure - Easter Isla…
Even getting to Easter Island requires a journey… More details
Big Adventure - Easter Island, Lisa Corti
Even getting to Easter Island requires a journey epic in comparison to the one-stop simplicity of modern travel. A Polynesian paradise, with a picture-perfect palette of green hills, blue skies and cartoon clouds, it is the mysterious Moai, the iconic statues, that draw the traveller to this, the most isolated of inhabited islands. The harsh lessons of environmental over-exploitation, together with diseases carried by slave traders, destroyed both the population and the island’s culture - what remains are half-remembered fables, an indecipherable script and a sense of mystery unrivalled in this age of jumbo jets, BBC documentaries and Wikipedia. Lisa Corti
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Big Adventure - Parc Nation…
“If they come towards you don’t run away,… More details
Big Adventure - Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda, Sarah Talbot
“If they come towards you don’t run away, just stay low or they’ll think you want to play,” was the advice from our guide. Advice we took quite literally when a huge figure appeared from nowhere and dragged one member of our group backwards into a bush. This was our first encounter with Rwanda’s most famous resident, the mountain gorilla. After taking a second to recover, we spent the next hour in Parc National des Volcans meeting the whole family, from the dominant Silverback to the tiny babies hanging from the trees above our heads. A totally unforgettable experience. Sarah Talbot
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Big Adventure - Finnish Arc…
Experiences don’t come much more magical or… More details
Big Adventure - Finnish Arctic Circle, Amelia Etan
Experiences don’t come much more magical or fairytale like than skipping through knee-high snow like a gleeful toddler, squinting for glimmers of the Northern Lights. Swaddled in thermals and basking in the balmy temperature of -35C, the Finnish Arctic Circle offers adventures a plenty. From mushing particularly excitable and vocal huskies, to reindeer sledging a gladiator style circuit, life rarely feels more lived. Guided by the light of a full moon during a snowmobile excursion to Sweden, there is a beautiful, crisp stillness in the air. Most abiding memories? Frozen lashes and literally being on top of the world. Amelia Etan
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Big Adventure - Mongolia, J…
If you want to witness true nomadic life, see… More details
Big Adventure - Mongolia, Jenny Watts
If you want to witness true nomadic life, see Przewalski horses in their natural habitat and hang out in a ger whilst supping Chinggis Khan beer or mare’s milk tea, then the land of blue sky is the place for you. Every July sees the arrival of the Nadaam festival in Mongolia – think an opening ceremony which appears to involve the entire population, grown men in tiny pants doing the eagle dance, horse racing across vast plains, archery and ankle bone games with a whole host of Mongolian culture and passion thrown in which leaves you longing to go back. Jenny Watts
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Cool City Break - Lisbon, F…
Before visiting Lisbon, I uncharitably dismissed… More details
Cool City Break - Lisbon, Fuschia Hutton
Before visiting Lisbon, I uncharitably dismissed Portugal as Spain’s poorer sister. But during a city break I discovered that Lisbon has very much its own character. Beautiful Iberian tiles and majestically crumbling colonial buildings are at the heart of Lisbon’s old world charm. After dark, buy huge €5 Caiprinhas in Bairro Alto and revel in the cobbled streets, but not before you’ve taken a clattering yellow tram to Belém and tried the Pastel de Belém’s ambrosial custard tarts. And don’t leave out Sintra – nestled in the mountains, it’s home to bewitchingly eclectic palaces and an ancient Moorish castle. Fuschia Hutton
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Cool City Break - San Franc…
Pier 39 in San Francisco may be clichéd and… More details
Cool City Break - San Franciso, Judith Madubuko
Pier 39 in San Francisco may be clichéd and touristic, but with spectacular views of the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, plus the legendary sea lions, it is a great place to catch your breath. For more fantastic views of San Francisco, head to the Art Deco Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, the inside of which is lined with amazing murals. All of these sights contrasted with the dilapidated stretch of Market Street that I registered as I rode the F Market heritage streetcar from Embarcadero to Castro, the heart of the city’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community. Judith Madubuko
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Cool City Break - Istanbul,…
“Are you real or are you dream?” said a… More details
Cool City Break - Istanbul, Helen Pike
“Are you real or are you dream?” said a quick-witted young shoe shiner. Istanbul is where the two realms collide… sipping rosehip tea from cushioned alcoves underneath plumbs of spiced smoke, marble carved Turkish baths, assortments of nutty baklava laced with honey, low hung oil lamps, sprinkles of pomegranate seeds - it is truly transporting. But from a city like a treasure chest from Byzantium, I bore witness to a fiercely contemporary scene germinating behind the grand-yet-ramshackle façades of the Beyoğlu district; a melting pot of culture that is forwarding the exquisite way of life Istanbul has to offer today. Helen Pike
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Cool City Break - Krakow, O…
Krakow in winter is a city of icy winds blowing… More details
Cool City Break - Krakow, Olivia Gagan
Krakow in winter is a city of icy winds blowing across grand, faded squares where teenagers sulkily perform pirouettes on their skateboards. Choirsong seeps out from Catholic churches as ancient martyrs peer down from their statues on crumbling streets, evidence of the centuries of invaders, victors and conquerors that came before. Cafes with creaking wooden floors sell silky, liquor-laced hot chocolate. Smoke curls out of the sports bars off the main square; wedged between them are restaurants serving thick stews in hollowed-out loaves. Krakow reveals its past at every turn, making for an intoxicating place to be in the present. Olivia Gagan
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Cool City Break - Paris, Ph…
A recent special occasion called for a special… More details
Cool City Break - Paris, Phoebe Lovatt
A recent special occasion called for a special sort of celebration, and we chose the chic Le Citizen Hotel on the picturesque banks of Canal Saint-Martin. It was two seconds from hipster hangout Hotel Du Nord, a stone’s throw from buzzing bar Chez Prune, and a short cab ride to Septime, a pared-back bistro offering a memorable carte blanche menu. We made the pilgrimage to Über-store Colette, but it was Le Marais that really hit the retail therapy spot, yielding cool-girl boutiques like Maje and Sandro - plus the ultimate Parisian purchase: a perfect crêpe au sucre. Phoebe Lovatt
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Styling Skiing - Courmayeur…
If you like to ski in style, there’s nowhere… More details
Styling Skiing - Courmayeur, Eva Dobrowolska
If you like to ski in style, there’s nowhere more chic than Courmayeur. Yes, it could be Swiss or French, but it’s actually just through the Monte Blanc tunnel in Italy. Its old, cobbled high street is garnished with elegant fashion shops, authentic bars, alpine restaurants and even art galleries, where impossibly slim women sweep away snow from their doorways wearing Versace and Gucci. And in the bars the fair-haired Northern Italian ski-guides wear chunky cardigans and suede moccasins. The slopes are varied, the scenery is beautiful and most important of all - you’ll feel like a million dollars. Caio! Eva Dobrowolska
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Stylish Skiing - Kitzbuhel,…
The home of the downhill. Those in the know say… More details
Stylish Skiing - Kitzbuhel, Austria, Fiona Low
The home of the downhill. Those in the know say it’s the most coveted podium you could stand on as a downhill racer, even more so than the Olympics. And now we know why. For in Austria, it’s all about speed. You’re more likely to see tight fluro all-in-one 80s ski suits than snowboarders gliding down the mountain. If you prefer vast back country skiing, then Kitzbuhel is not for you. But if you like your strudel, schnitzel and schnapps served with a side of steep, fast groomed snow, click ‘book now’ because Kitzbuhel is your type of snow destination. Fiona Low
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Stylish Skiing - Whistler, …
Driving up the sea-to-sky highway augments… More details
Stylish Skiing - Whistler, Nidhi Bhalla
Driving up the sea-to-sky highway augments anticipation of Whistler, which sits magically like it was made for a film set in Narnia. Snow flakes float around like confetti and little chimneys smoke atop the cabins and shops that welcome your stroll to the Gondolas. If the endless powdery slopes that snake around that majestic mountain don’t take your breath away, then riding the peak-to-peak gondola between mountain tops certainly will. Come sundown, lounge by the roaring fires in the Brewhouse with a local ale, or dine at the renowned Araxi to end a truly world class snow adventure. Nidhi Bhalla
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Stylish Skiing - Dubai, Pat…
What a surprise my friends had when they saw… More details
Stylish Skiing - Dubai, Patricia Atkinson
What a surprise my friends had when they saw photographs of my trip to Dubai. Expecting to see beach scenery, there was I looking the part dressed stylishly having just embarked upon my first ski-ing lesson. I have aspired to go ski-ing for years but didn't quite have the courage. However, on a shopping trip to the Emirates Mall, I came across 'Ski Dubai' the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East and impulsively booked a lesson. It was 40 degrees outside and there was I ski-ing down the nursery slope. A highly recommended exhilarating experience. Patricia Atkinson
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Stylish Skiing - British Co…
Visions of the famous Champagne powder in my… More details
Stylish Skiing - British Columbia, Rebecca Muenger
Visions of the famous Champagne powder in my head, my suitcase full of thermals and jumpers. I'm sitting on a 30 seat plane to Prince Rupert, Northern British Columbia. Destination: Bell II lodge, two hours from Alaska, on the tracks of the Ice Road Truckers. With nine wooden Swiss-style luxury chalets, each with its own fireplace, heli base and open air hot tub (it’s -40 degrees), this is your own mountain resort. Welcome to dreamland with 25m annual snowfall, the largest heliski terrain, the finest food and friendliest hospitality. A week of no phone reception, great stories and insane skiing! Rebecca Muenger
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UK Weekend - Snowdonia, Car…
After three hours in the car battling with Welsh… More details
UK Weekend - Snowdonia, Caroline Thorley
After three hours in the car battling with Welsh town names (“turn left at Penrhyndeudraeth. No, PENRHYN...oh forget it), my husband and I were starting to wonder if our weekend away in Snowdonia was a big mistake. We needn’t have worried. Once nestled in our cosy log-fired hotel, the real problem was deciding how to spend the weekend. Visiting the miles of beautiful sandy, gulf-streamed beaches or hiking up one of Snowdonia’s stunning scenic mountains? Either way, this is a truly enchanting part of the world. Just try not to ask for directions. Caroline Thorley
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UK Weekend - Old Railway St…
If you're looking for a relaxing, romantic… More details
UK Weekend - Old Railway Station, Petworth, Gennie Wallace
If you're looking for a relaxing, romantic weekend with a difference visit The Old Railway Station in Petworth. We stayed in one of four classic Pullman train carriages permanently stationed in the sidings. The ensuite rooms are small, but luxuriously fitted with original oak panels and wooden shutters and are perfect for cosying up on a cold night. Ordering a romantic Champagne breakfast started the day in style before visiting Petworth, full of tiny shops and great for finding individual pieces for your home. The large choice of country pubs nearby offered a welcome break, and even though it's only an hour from London you'll feel you've travelled a lot further. Gennie Wallace
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UK Weekend - Camber Sands, …
Camber Sands is a British beach paradise, hidden… More details
UK Weekend - Camber Sands, Rebecca Weeks
Camber Sands is a British beach paradise, hidden miles away from the nearest motorway and even guarded from its own village by towering sand dunes. If you can clamber up the mountainous dunes, you’re rewarded with a breathtaking golden seascape and clean, fresh air, dense with salt. The strong winds attract kite-flyers and soaring seagulls, who share their stomping ground with dog-walkers and beachcombers. Despite the deserted scene you can satisfy your sea-air appetite, boutique-style, at The Gallivant Hotel. This beach-hut bolthole of white-washed driftwood, shell decorations and wicker textures serves up delectable seasonal seafood, sourced from its Sussex doorstep. Rebecca Weeks
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UK Weekend - The Victoria, …
Norfolk crops up more frequently in jokes than… More details
UK Weekend - The Victoria, Norfolk, Jessica Baldwin
Norfolk crops up more frequently in jokes than holiday plans, yet its dramatic coastline hides the UK’s best beach and a host of gastronomic treats. Stay at The Victoria, the bohemian hotel is perfectly located to explore seal trips in Blakeney, crabbing in Wells and cream teas in Holt -and the award-winning Holkham beach is on its doorstep. In summer neighbouring Stiffkey’s maze of salt-marshes glow purple under a blanket of sea lavender and give way to Morston marshes where you can find the UK’s best mussels and critically acclaimed Michelin starred restaurant, Morston Hall. Not so funny now eh! Jessica Baldwin
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UK Weekend - Jamaica Inn, D…
Last night I dreamt I went to Jamaica Inn again.… More details
UK Weekend - Jamaica Inn, Durba Banerjee
Last night I dreamt I went to Jamaica Inn again. As the mist wound through the moors and we wound our way through it, we almost missed the small wooden sign that would take us to the 18th century smuggling inn. Made famous by Daphne Du Maurier, who herself got lost in the notorious mist while riding in the moors, she set her novel of the same name in and around the inn and neighbouring countryside. You could spend the weekend doing the same...walking in the glorious, if somewhat sinister beauty of Bodmin moors. Or, you could just stay in and huddle by the fire, enjoy some first-class cuisine, and who knows, you might even have a run-in with their resident ghost...who's that strange man in a tricorne hat? Durba Banerjee
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A-list winter getaways
It's New Year, the sky is dark and it's just that time of year when we all start dreaming of a break somewhere…
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Top five luxury Ski Hotels
Dig out your Chanel goggles and get in the mood for fondue - ski season is upon us once again. Itching to get on…
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