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Steve McKenna

Steve McKenna

Travel writer

Steve McKenna is based in the UK, but is usually drawn to sunnier climes. He has a special affection for Mediterranean Europe, south-east Asia and Latin America.

The rooms may be on the small side but they evoke a cosy charm.

One block from the Seine, this family-owned hotel oozes period charm

Intimate, chic, colourful – this is a genial and delightfully placed Parisian address.

  • Steve McKenna
Stretching 4.5 kilometres on the south-eastern fringes of France’s capital, Cable C1 was built principally for commuters.

The newest tourist attraction in Paris was never supposed to be one

Cable C1 was built principally for commuters. But since opening, it’s become something of a visitor attraction for Parisians and overseas tourists alike.

  • Steve McKenna
Chester’s Tudor-style shop-lined streets.

Move over, Manchester. This historic English city is a storied wonder

While its bigger, brasher neighbours generate more noise, this former Roman fortress remains the most charming city in the country’s north-west.

  • Steve McKenna
Bordeaux’s fortunes have been shaped by the Garonne River.

My dream French holiday was rained out. Here’s how I salvaged it

I’d long pictured wandering the region’s sun-kissed old streets and sipping its wine. Then, when I finally visit, it doesn’t stop raining for our entire stay.

  • Steve McKenna
Jaw-dropping: Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher.

Australians stay longer in this country than anyone else. It’s not enough

Ireland might only be slightly larger than Tasmania, but two weeks is barely enough to scratch the surface of the Emerald Isle.

  • Steve McKenna
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Lucerne and its medieval old town.

In a country obsessed with trains, I used an alternative transport

I had my doubts about “doing” Switzerland by coach. But it’s just as spectacular and we frequently reach places trains can’t.

  • Steve McKenna
The Morecambe seafront.

One of the most stunning, underrated parts of the UK is a delight

Sprawling 310 square kilometres, Morecambe Bay is one of the most unsung, serene and loveliest pockets of England’s coastline.

  • Steve McKenna
Liechtenstein’s capital, Vaduz.

It may be in a tiny country, but this European capital rocks

Europe’s fourth-smallest country is so compact, at 160-square-kilometres, that it could fit comfortably inside Vienna – twice over.

  • Steve McKenna
The Calder Valley line affords a wealth of delights.

Forget paying thousands, this scenic train journey costs a pittance

Have you heard about the Britannic Explorer, a new luxury train that offers journeys around the UK for about $13,000 a person? Well, I’m not riding that.

  • Steve McKenna
Whimsical Chateau de Chambord.

The stunning French region that has attracted visitors for centuries

This region south-west of Paris is as alluring for travellers now as it was for the French royals of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance era.

  • Steve McKenna