Every year, in the lead up to Lent, Brazil’s former capital transforms into one giant party. The Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the largest carnival in the world, with two million people per day taking to the streets. This year’s official celebration will happen across five days, from 21st to 26th February, culminating on Fat Tuesday. Although, in reality, the festivities usually last fa...

Besides being home to Australia’s cultural capital – Melbourne – Victoria also has stunning countryside and one of the most iconic coastlines in the world. What’s more, its compact size makes it perfect for a self-drive road trip. According to James Litston, these are the best places to go in the Garden State. Yarra Valley I’d always thought the Spice Girls invented...

Florida has long been a popular holiday destination for those seeking some fun in the sun. As the theme park capital of the world, it draws visitors from around the globe, keen to experience the fantasy realms of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens. But at almost one and a half times the size of England – and with over 4,500 islands – there’s so much more to ...

Record-breaking temperatures and severe drought have caused fires to spread across parts of Australia over the past few months. While it’s not unusual for significant acreage to burn during the hot summer months, the Australian bushfires this year have been unprecedented. Devastatingly, they’ve destroyed more than 2,600 homes and burned over 100,000 square kilometres of land. It’...

At this time of year, a lot of us start to crave a few days of sunshine. But all the hot destinations are too far away for a long weekend, right? Wrong! If you want to escape your everyday routine and soak up some much-needed vitamin D – without using too much annual leave – we have the solution.   A long weekend in Dubai is the perfect antidote to the winter blues. You’l...

This weekend is the Lunar New Year – also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. Based on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, the celebration begins on the new moon, which can be anytime between 21st January and 20th February. In 2020, the first day of the New Year falls on 25th January, and it will usher in the Year of the Rat – an animal which symbolises wealth and t...

These are boom times for brewers and drinkers alike. Changes in taste, techniques and ingredients have left us with a bewildering choice at the bar. There are more breweries in Britain today than at any time since the Thirties – and it’s proving the same around the world. America is leading the way but, all over Europe, craft beers are becoming more popular than wine. Further afield,...