Croatia

Cycling the Bosnian Ciro Rail Trail, here on the outskirts of Dubrovnik, above the Adriatic Sea.

Europe

The spectacular European rail trail with a chilling past

Legacies of the Balkan conflict of the early 1990s linger like scars in the landscape. But behind it all, there’s great beauty.

Andrew Bain

The entrance of the Armerun Hotel in Šibenik in Croatia.

★★★★
Hotel reviews

I found the best hotel in Croatia’s less-crowded hotspot

You’ve probably never heard of this town, or hotel, but you’ll be glad you chose it over busier Split or Dubrovnik.

Flip Byrnes

One of the great advantages of small ships is they can dock right in the heart of European old-town ports.

Europe

In a region famous for wild party cruises, this trip defied expectations

Having seen the reality TV show Below Deck, shot on the Dalmatian Coast, I was worried I would be the frumpy middle-aged woman in a sea of glamorous youngsters.

Kristie Kellahan

Business class seats are the same size as economy.

★★★
Airline reviews

I swore I’d never fly this airline again. Ten years later, I’m back on board

Croatia Airlines’ overhead bins can’t fit wheelie bags, the food is overpriced and don’t bother flying business class – the seats are the same as economy.

Kristie Kellahan

Europe

This region offers the joys of Europe, without the crowds

My journey begins in one of the continent’s infamously overrun tourist cities but it quickly moves on to places as yet undiscovered by the hordes.

Brian Johnston

Europe

Europe’s most underrated capital has everything, except crowds

Here you can feel absorbed into the fabric of a growing, rapidly changing city that goes about its own business, rather than a place that feels like Disneyland.

Brian Johnston

Isola Bella, an island of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy.

Cruises

Visit showstopping grand gardens on this joyous botanical odyssey

This tour of the Italian Lakes, Slovenia and the Croatian Islands explores formal gardens and arboretums, as well as places of incomparable natural beauty.

Julie Miller

The beautiful old port city of Sibenik, Croatia.

Ocean cruises

Skip Dubrovnik and Split, and head to these intriguing Croatian ports instead

I’ve been to Croatia many times and yet somehow, until now, I haven’t noticed Sibenik. It isn’t much noticed by anyone, compared with Croatia’s congested tourist hotspots.