The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

This hidden gem has country inns, canalside walks, a stunning viaduct, the historic town of Market Harborough – and not a tour bus in sight It was a chilly Sunday in November 2000 when the gods chose to smile on Ken Wallace. The retired teacher was sweeping his metal detector across a hillside in Leicestershire’s Welland valley when a series of beeps brought him up short.

Digging down, he found a cache of buried coins almost two millennia old. He had chanced upon one of the UK’s most important iron age hoards, totalling about 5,000 silver and gold coins.

More than 25 years on, I’m staring at Ken’s find at the civic museum in the nearby town of Market Harborough. The now gleaming coins are decorated with wreaths and horses.

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

Coastal erosion may threaten the area around Southwold, but a new ‘movable’ cabin makes a great base for exploring its windswept beaches, remote marshes and welcoming inns The crumbling cliff edge is just metres away. An automatic blind, which I can operate without getting out of bed, rises to reveal an ocean view: the dramatic storm-surging North Sea with great black-backed gulls circling nearby and a distant ship on the horizon.

A watery gold sunrise lights the clouds and turbulent grey water. I’m the first person to sleep in the new Kraken lodge at Still Southwold, a former farm in Easton Bavents on the Suffolk coast.

It’s a stylish wooden cabin, one of a scattering of holiday lets in an area prone to aggressive coastal erosion.

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

The raucous celebration of the new year and the islands’ Nordic heritage culminates in the ritual burning of a longship – and much drinking Beyond a misty veil, dawn breaks above Shetland – sort of. The days feel as if they never quite get going here at this time of year, and it’s important, as the long nights of winter drag on, to have a hobby.

Here in Lerwick, the capital of the archipelago, the locals have divined a unique way of passing the time, while honouring the deep-rooted Scandinavian influences on Shetland’s culture and history. A rattling and murmuring begins to grow, and round a corner emerges a marching horde of lusty Vikings in homemade costumes, brandishing axes and round shields, beards flowing over leather breastplates.

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

Historic trawler and floating lighthouse among East Yorkshire city’s attractions as it gears up for tourism boost A combination of a world record-breaking trawler, a floating lighthouse and a dizzying array of maritime objects that include a stuffed polar bear called Erik are all helping to make Hull one of the top 25 places in the world to visit in 2026. The East Yorkshire city is on the verge of completing an ambitious £70m transformation, which, supporters believe, will propel it into becoming an international tourist destination.

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The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

From rock climbing in the Peak District to honing your creative writing skills in Crete, why not take a break with like minds and fellow learners this year? Even complete beginners will soon be scaling sheltered Peak District crags on this two-day course with Pure Outdoor.

Participants will master tying in, belaying and several climbing techniques, as well as abseiling down. With a maximum of six learners to one instructor, there is a lot individual attention and personalised targets.

The course is suitable for anyone aged 13 and over, from first-time climbers to those with some indoor experience. It is non-residential, but Pure Outdoor has a list of recommended, affordable accommodation nearby, including campsites, hostels, B&Bs and pubs with rooms.

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

Travel back in time at a folly in Scotland, a parador in Spain and a German castle My husband and I stayed in a beautiful 500-year-old Venetian palazzo for just €100 for a double room. The exterior of Palazzo Abadessa , tucked away in the sleepy backstreets of the Cannaregio district, is low key enough, but the grandeur and opulence begin to hit your senses as you explore.

First we strolled through the lush ornamental garden, then the huge entrance hall decorated with frescoes and Renaissance paintings going back to the golden age of Venice, lit by glittering Murano chandeliers. The reception area is furnished with an antique velvet armchair, perfect for sipping a prosecco or Venetian spritz.

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

The country has so many cultural and historical treasures that relatively few are known to tourists. Our tipsters share their discoveries, from ancient hill towns to a mini Venice Approaching the town of Brisighella in Emilia-Romagna, it feels as though you are rapidly incorporating yourself in the backdrop of a Renaissance masterpiece, with dramatic rocky hills with singular trees perched upon them, and mysterious towers standing in solitary self-possession – leaving you to wonder what they must have witnessed over the years.

The town is the perfect launchpad to explore such remarkably beautiful scenery, but it is also absolutely worth exploring its many medieval alleyways and its particularly unique elevated path, granting private nooks to take in the town’s charm. Gioia Continue reading...

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

From an ancient castle in Easter Ross to a cosy cabin on Lough Erne, our tipsters share their favourite country boltholes for an active winter escape • Tell us about a UK winter walk – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher After a beautiful wintry walk along the Roaches in Staffordshire (having been fuelled with Staffordshire oatcakes ), we stayed at the historic YHA Hartington Hall youth hostel, a period drama setting for a cosy bunk. We woke up to find the Peak District under a blanket of snow, calm and with that magical silence that makes the world feel at peace.

Ruth Campbell Continue reading...

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

From Essex to Istanbul, and from a soul music bar to a dramatic mountain pass, our tipsters share their personal travel highlights of the year Moments after stepping off the bus, I wanted to text my friend: “What have I done to you, why did you tell me to come here?” As I weaved my way through coach-party day trippers, my initial suspicions dissipated. I came to swim, but Piran offered so much more.

Venetian squares provided a delicately ornate backdrop, while cobbled passageways housed bustling seafood restaurants, serving the day’s catch. The majestic Adriatic was made manageable by concrete diving platforms, fit for all ages.

Naša Pekarna stocked delightfully crisp and filling böreks , and the bar/cafe Pri Starcu – owned by Patrik Ipavec, a former Slovenia international footballer – married warm hospitality with ice-cold beer and delicious early evening refreshments.

The Guardian — Travel • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:34 a.m.

Readers revel in winter light, wildlife spectacles and cosy pubs from Norfolk to Northumberland • Tell us about your favourite European beach – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher Who needs the Swiss Alps when you have Macclesfield Forest on your doorstep? Walking from Trentabank car park, the 506-metre peak of Shut lingsloe is the gift that keeps on giving.

The panoramic views from its summit, dubbed Cheshire’s mini Matterhorn, are breathtaking at any time of year. But it’s on the crispest of winter days you get the best views: the Staffordshire Roaches , Manchester’s skyline, the Cheshire Plain, the wonder that is Jodrell Bank, and even as far as the Great Orme in Llandudno.

Head back to Trentabank where there is a food truck selling local specialities, including Staffordshire oatcakes. Jeremy Barnett Continue reading...

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