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Free travel to a Salzberg gem

Bad Gastein is a relatively unknown gem. The Austrian state it sits in, Salzburg, offers free local transport (the guest mobility ticket) if you are staying in the state, so you can travel to the resort via train for nothing. The slopes are directly next to the station, too.

Rob Owen

Family fun in the French Alps

Puy-Saint-Vincent in France is a wonderful, small, child-friendly resort. Our grandchildren learned to ski each morning with great instructors on the gentle slopes under amazing azure skies. Three generations then made memories of a lifetime, skiing the wide quiet slopes together each afternoon. We enjoyed dog sleds and cosy hot chocolate in the slopeside cafes. A wonderful trip.

Barbara

A historic railway and superb skiing in Norway

Gausta, Norway, is such fun. Stay at Gaustablikk, the hotel built by Kirk Douglas’s stuntman, a wonderfully quirky piece of local history. Explore Vemork, the historic heavy-water plant where British and Norwegian resistance fighters carried out their daring sabotage during the second world war. For families, the on-piste skiing is friendly and accessible; while the cross-country trails are simply stunning. Then there’s the real adventure: an old US military train climbs Gaustatoppen, opening up spectacular off-piste skiing with views and terrain that rival much of mainland Europe. It’s a brilliant mix of history, skiing, scenery and adventure, and somehow remains a wonderfully under-the-radar destination.

Fiona

Markets and gluhwein in the Austrian Tirol

As a family of four, we loved St Johann in Tirol. It’s a comfortable Austrian village with Christmas markets, picturesque churches and gorgeous frozen valley walks – with little marmosets and weasels to look out for along the river. Wherever you stay, you can walk to a gondola. It’s really near to Salzburg airport, too. In Austria, kids get all-day lessons, which is a big bonus. Parents can just kick back or wander around and have a gluhwein or two. Prices were very reasonable in the Christmas holidays.

Nick

A locals’ favourite on the Italian border

Tarvisio-Monte Lussari on the Italian-Slovenian border covers 24km (15 miles) of skiable terrain interconnected across two main sectors: the historic and stunning Monte Lussari pilgrimage peak and the Priesnig area. Used by local people and those in the know, it offers sufficient ski runs and good value ski passes and restaurants, and is much cheaper than neighbouring resorts in Austria.

Neil

Magic in the air at La Rosière, France

Stay in the attractive resort of La Rosière in France, in the foothills of the Mont Blanc region. Enjoy the short forest walk to the village, with wind chimes and magic in the air, for an après-ski drink and a cheese fondue in a local tavern with the kids.

Oliver

Off-piste heaven in the Norwegian Alps

About 50km (30 miles) from Ålesund, Strandafjellet has excellent pistes, but also some of the best off-piste skiing in Norway. Strap on a pair of randonnée skis and you can use the lifts to access spectacular backcountry skiing in the Sunnmøre Alps. The views down to the fjord make this truly special. Pistes are illuminated for evening skiing.

Graham

A charming village in Les Trois Vallées

Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, in the French Alps (Les Trois Vallées), is low at about 1,500 metres, so go mid-season. The single run ends smack in the centre of the village, which has retained its historical features along with small, friendly bars and places to eat. Plus, it gives access to the whole of the Trois Vallées ski area – absolutely amazing from one small but beautiful village. There are plenty of choices for accommodation, both expensive and cheap.

Russell Walker

Queue-free skiing for all in Italy’s Dolomites

Brunico is tucked away in the Dolomites, just a 90-minute transfer from Innsbruck. I had a great week at the beginning of March. Unlike bigger resorts, queues were nonexistent here. There are runs for beginners through to experts. Great snow and plenty of opportunities to use it.

Ian B

Winning tip: Bavarian charm and quiet slopes

Oberstdorf in Germany continues to be my go-to for a quiet and restorative ski week away. There are 130km (80 miles) of pistes for all levels, stacks of Bavarian restaurants, a wide variety of mountain huts, plenty of hotels for all budgets and family sizes, and the novelty of skiing into and out of Austria daily. Neuschwanstein Castle is a short hop away for a day off. Unbeatable value.

Daniel Stephens

AUTUMN is theme park season in my house, as the time between summer season and October half-term is quiet with no queues – and I know how to get great deals.

The key to keeping costs down is using a technique I call ‘hack stacking’, and it’s really easy for everyone to do.

The way it works it to combine different deals to get entry for the individuals in your party and maximise the benefits that come with each.

We’ve already enjoyed cheap trips to Warwick Castle and have already lined up visits to Drayton Manor, Alton Towers and Legoland Discovery Centre.

One deal to take advantage of is with Merlin which is currently running an annual pass deal that includes the rest of this year if you pay for 2027.

A gold pass includes car parking, so the £239 cost of one pass could be well worth it just for that if you go once a month plus a couple of extra visits in the summer as lots of the theme parks charge £13 a day for parking.

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The key to hack stacking is that not everyone uses the same deal to get in.

So someone else could use Tesco Clubcard vouchers or Nectar points to pay for individual entry and others could get parent and toddler tickets if you’ve got children the right age. 

It’s also important to keep an eye out for deals over the course of the year and work out how they could be combined to get the most bang for your buck.

In the spring, Merlin ran a stay and play deal that included annual passes if you booked an overnight stay at one of its parks.

That’s an amazing base for building your hack stacking on. I took two of my sons to stay overnight at Legoland Windsor in June for £270 and now the three of us can get free entry into multiple Merlin attractions until next summer.

If I add on a gold pass for my husband under the current 15 months for the price of 12 deal, I only have to find a final hack to get my third son a ticket to whichever attraction we plan to visit.

So for £510, split over two payments made six months apart, not only have I got annual passes plus car parking for four people, I’ve also enjoyed an overnight theme park stay and even got a little bit of cashback through Quidco.

I did much the same at Drayton Manor, starting with the tickets I claimed through the Sun Club earlier in the year and then using a Blue Light Card discount to buy more.

I could prebook two free tickets through my Sun Club membership over the summer and then buy two more for £20 each.

My final ticket to cover my family of five was £26 using our Blue Light Card and what’s great about this offer is that you can even book it on the day, saving almost £20 on the gate price.

Normally, Drayton Manor pricing is dynamic so it goes up the closer you get to the day of your visit, even if you’re booking online, whereas the Blue Light price is a flat rate.

We paid £66 for the five of us to visit Drayton Manor on a September weekend instead of £200 if we’d turned up and paid on the day.

You can even shave a couple of quid off the parking by prebooking that online too.

And if you visit during September, you get a return visit until the end of October included.

Teachers can get in free on October 3-4, so that’s something to consider if you work in a school.

My hack-stacking trick works at most theme parks as long as you take a bit of time to look at who you’re buying entry for and then work out how to combine deals.

We visited Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft, which has just been named theme park of the year, in April and there’s some great deals to be had for tickets there.

You can get a Blue Light discount, but it actually makes better financial sense to use a family ticket for four people for £70 or to buy early bird tickets at £16 each a month in advance.

People with local postcodes could get a reduced price ticket at the start of the season, so it’s worth keeping an eye out to see if that pops up again.

My final tip if you fancy giving hack stacking a go is to keep an eye on discount sites like Planet Offers, Groupon or Wowcher as you can make some great savings, as long as you read the small print to make sure what you’re buying is valid on the date you want to visit.

A family ticket on the Flamingo Land website costs £168 for four people, whereas it’s £98 for the same ticket on one of the discount sites.

And make sure you check rival sites too as there can be a big difference in what they are offering.

Collioure is a Mediterranean dream

Last October, while I was cycling around south-west France, near the Spanish border, a tip from a local waiter led me to Collioure, near Perpignan. The town was like a Mediterranean dream, where the summer crowds had faded, leaving behind a peaceful, artistic haven of soft light, warm sunshine, cobbled streets, sandy beaches – and the Pyrenees as a backdrop. In the early evening, the still balmy autumn air was perfect for wandering through the quiet, pastel-coloured alleyways of the Le Mouré district to enjoy €5 off-season happy hour wine with fish tapas. I had planned to stay a weekend but ended up staying a week, seduced by Collioure’s perfect autumn cocktail of chilled Catalan culture and sunkissed seaside sensuality.

April

Peaceful Portuguese sunsets

Sitting outside in T-shirt and shorts on the deck of a boat gliding along the Tagus River in Lisbon, sipping a glass of crisp Portuguese wine as the setting autumn sun illuminated the pastel-coloured hills, is a lasting travel memory for me. October temperatures were still in the mid-20s, perfect for exploring fascinating areas on foot, or hanging out of trams as they rattled up and down the cobbled streets. In the evenings, I joined local people basking in the remaining warmth of the year at outdoor cafes or waterside tavernas like Ponto Final, enjoying coffee and pastries, or anchovies and beer, while watching magnificent sunsets without the summer masses.

Nicoletta

Wild times in St Davids, Pembrokeshire

My autumn escape is St Davids on the Pembrokeshire coast. Once the summer crowds disappear, it feels wonderfully wild and tranquil. We walk the coast path towards Whitesands, stopping to watch for seals below the cliffs, before heading back into tiny St Davids for something warm to eat. The beaches are often almost empty and, even when the weather turns, the dramatic sea and windswept coastline are part of the charm. My tip is to visit in early autumn; pack proper walking boots and layers, and embrace the weather – you get one of Britain’s loveliest coastlines almost to yourself.

Tess

Baroque beauty in eastern Germany

Görlitz makes for a fascinating autumnal base, with its location on the German-Polish border to the east of Dresden. The highlights were day excursions to Bad Muskau, where there is a wonderful baroque palace, and the Rakotzbrücke (Devil’s Bridge), reached by a narrow gauge forest railway (waldeisenbahn.de). It’s a part of Germany rarely visited, but those who go there will be rewarded with amazing photographs.

Martin

Bliss on a lesser-visited Canary island

The Canary Islands are well-trodden choices for autumn sun, but the island of El Hierro remains a wilder alternative to Tenerife or Lanzarote. The scenery is beautiful and bizarrely varied: from pine forests to black volcanic lava flows – most of which you’ll have to yourself. You can pass hours exploring the rugged coastlines, where volcanic swimming holes such as Charco Azul can be found. We spent a blissful few hours there, relaxing on the rocks and looking out at the Atlantic. There are no big resorts but plenty of guest houses and smaller hotels, and sunshine is almost guaranteed into November.

Leo Mark

Dramatic Devon walks

We stayed in Woolacombe, north Devon, with our three-year-old in October 2023 and the off-season suited us well. The three-mile beach gave us room for proper sandcastle engineering, and the Atlantic offered drama rather than deckchair weather. We watched the sunset turn the sea orange and purple from the hill above the bay. We could walk into the village, then use Woolacombe as a base for Mortehoe and the South West Coast Path. Pack waterproofs as well as sunglasses: north Devon makes no promises. But on a bright autumn day, those enormous sands feel almost privately hired.

Katharina Parsons

Coast, culture and cable cars on Madeira

Funchal on Madeira is my pick for an autumn escape because it still feels properly alive after summer. The seafront is made for slow walks in the sunshine, with cafes and gardens open year-round. You can browse the colourful Mercado dos Lavradores, ride the cable car for views over the terracotta rooftops and Atlantic, then cool off at one of the city’s lidos. The weather is pleasantly warm rather than overpowering, while the mountains and levada (aqueduct) walks are within easy reach. It combines coast, culture and dramatic scenery without feeling like a resort that closes down for winter.

Bernice

Clifftops and crab rolls in the Scottish Borders

If you’re looking for a cracking wee coastal escape, head straight to St Abbs in the Scottish Borders. My wife and I absolutely fell in love with its rugged charm and bonny views. First off, Marvel fans will know it as New Asgard from Avengers: Endgame, and taking a selfie by the official sign set the right tone. Beyond the film fame, the dramatic clifftop walk up to St Abb’s Head is brilliant, packed with seabirds and proper fresh sea air. Afterwards, grab a fresh crab roll down at the harbour cafe – nae hassle, just proper good cheer.

Craig

Nonstop sun in a Cretan haven

Autumn came brutal and early to Crete this month. But the ferocious northerly that drenched the northern coast got stuck on the White Mountains. And on just one tiny south-west speck of the island, the sun shone all and every day. Palaiochora is a year-round magic place anyway. No big hotels. Still proudly Greek. A place where the town’s rhythms are set by the comings and goings of the Loutro ferry. But this past week, while thunder stalked the mountains, we swam and walked every day. “We’re unique,” said the man at the cafe. “Please don’t tell anyone.” What have I done?

Kay Jones

Winning tip: Fiestas and feasts in Zaragoza, Spain

For an autumn city break, Zaragoza comes alive during the Fiestas del Pilar in October. We spent a week there, wandering bustling streets lined with people, many in traditional dress, queueing to lay flowers at the vast floral tribute to the Virgin Mary in Plaza del Pilar. Along the river, food stalls served Aragonese specialities, from chistorra (sausage) and stews to roast chestnuts and sweet wine. Between festivities, we explored the stunning Aljafería Palace and discovered tiny tapas bars tucked down side streets. The city felt wonderfully local, lively and full of surprises.

Carrie

AUTUMN is the perfect time for a city break holiday abroad.

Fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, and quieter restaurants – there’s something to be said for a long weekend post-summer.

And with hundreds of countries under our belts, as the Travel Team at The Sun, we know which are the best spots to visit after summer but before winter is in full swing.

Here are our favourite cities to visit this autumn, along with our top tips, cheap pints and very affordable flights thrown in.

Warsaw, Poland

Known as the Grinch by friends due to my ambivalence to Christmas, Warsaw is the perfect place to visit in autumn before the festive season takes over.

Not only is it also frequently named one of the cheapest city break destinations, but it was named top city to visit by European Best Destinations 2026.

The architecture of the city is stunning, with historic 17th century buildings compared to the more modern Brutalist blocks.

Start with a wander around the beautiful Old Town which was reconstructed after WWII, when 85 per cent of it was destroyed.

Then head over to the Neon Museum, with hundreds of huge neon signs from the Cold War (one to get your camera out for, definitely).

The food scene is fantastic too – I highly rate Momu which specialises in Polish dishes using a smoke-roasting oven, or huge food hall Hala Koszyki which was the first of its kind in the city.

You can find really cheap hotels – ibis budgets start from as little as £35 (so £17.50 each), while Ryanair flights are £30 return. So a mega cheap holiday!

Or you can find two-night city breaks for just over £100pp with loveholidays. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Lisbon, Portugal

The Portuguese capital comes into its own in autumn, with oodles of sunshine and warm temperatures perfect for exploring its maze of hilly streets, grand squares and spectacular architecture.

I’ve just returned from a perfect weekend break that went beyond the tourist trail with the help of the new Andaz Lisbon hotel (rooms from £242 a night).

Just steps from the grand, riverfront square Praca do Comercio, the hotel in a former grand bank has a spectacular rooftop restaurant and bar.

Their exclusive experiences pair you with locals to delve deeper – like renowned street artist Migeul Brum who not only gave us a whistle-stop tour of some incredible murals and installations but allowed us to get hands on and create our own with a graffiti workshop.

Their Seven Hills by Night revealed some of the city’s vibrant neighbourhoods for fun after dark.

We sipped classic cocktails in hidden speakeasy Foxtrot and enjoyed a live performance of traditional Fado music at Bohemia Lx Se.

And for a glimpse of the glorious seafaring history, a tuk tuk tour took us to the arty district of Belem where we explored the Belem Tower and Monument to the Discoveries.

And of course, no visit to the district would be complete without sampling the irresistible custard tarts at the original bakery, Pastels de Belem.

Flights to Lisbon from £14.99 from the UK. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Tallin, Estonia

The capital of Estonia might not be your first thought for a city break but it should be. 

With a three-hour flight time, the city is far enough away to feel a bit more of an autumn chill but not so far that the flight feels like a strain.

Tallinn is an easy city to walk around; all the main sights are close to each other, especially in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town.

Here you’ll find Gothic spires, cobbled alleyways and the Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum which even explores the city’s coffee culture. 

And everything is super cheap – I managed to visit the KGB Prison Cells and then grab lunch afterward for around £15.

A pint will set you back a few euros, as will a PINT of hot chocolate – yes really.

The benefit of go in autumn  is that the freezing weather of winter hasn’t quite kicked in yet and you can enjoy exploring the city crowd-free.

With LastMinute.com, you could head away for three nights to Citybox Tallinn City Center Hotel, which has a modern interior and light airy rooms for £194pp for three nights including flights. Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Seville, Spain

Seville is the Spanish city that comes alive in shoulder season – seeing as summer has unbearable highs that approach 40C.

But that drops off in autumn, meaning you can get some post-summer warmth within just a few hours.

And there are some fantastic, must-see attractions, from the Seville Cathedral (the largest gothic cathedral in the world) and the Moorish Royal Alcazar of Seville.

Skip the expensive flamenco shows and watch the many free performances in the parks.

The ultimate cheap breakfast is at Bar Alfafa, a tiny restaurant squeezed between two roads where you will find coffee and toast for just €2.10 (£1.78), as long as you can find a table between the locals.

The beauty of Spain is that wine is cheap (expect to pay around €2-€3 (£1.69-£2.54) per glass), but head to the local chain 100 Montaditos where you can get beers for under €1.50 (£1.27).

TUI has three-night breaks for as little as £180 each, with your hotel and flights thrown in. 

Cheap booze, quick flights and 28C highs in autumn – what more could you want? Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Vilnius, Lithuania

If you aren’t still longing after lounging about on beaches or sun-searching, but are ready to embrace autumn in all its glory, I’d say a trip to Vilnius is on the cards.

The capital of Lithuania, especially its medieval Old Town is beautiful with cobblestone streets, towering church towers and shops with autumnal window displays.

With its old-school look, I felt almost as if I’d stepped back in time.

It’s quiet too as Lithuania gets far fewer visitors in general than the likes of Spain or Portugal.

When I popped out early on a Sunday morning for a wander around the Old Town, it was practically deserted.

To make it even better, food and drink is cheap too. One cafe called Vynomanai sold coffee for €2 (£1.70) and beer for €3 (£2.55).

The best snack I tried and a must-try is called kepta duona. Essentially it’s fried bread in garlic – which is like the UK’s version of pork scratchings.

Flights start from £19 with Ryanair, or Loveholidays has seven-night breaks from £249pp. Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam is big on nature. Canals weave between its Baroque buildings and the cobblestone streets are lined by bushy trees that look even more spectacular in the autumn months, painting the streets in shades of red and orange.

While summer time is all about beer, the coming months focus on hot and cosy tipples like Warme Chocolademelk (Dutch Hot Chocolate) and Gluwhein (similar to mulled wine), both from around €4.

Grab yourself a glass from one of the traditional brown bars which tend to feature large windows from which visitors can watch the world go by, drink in hand.

Make sure to gobble back some Dutch classics. Comfort food is a staple in these parts and autumn is the perfect time of year to sample them.

Keep your eyes peeled for Stamppot, a hearty dish, made of mashed potato, sausages and sauerkraut – Moeders in the Jordaan whips up a truly authentic version.

Make sure to pick up some stroopwafels, too, a classic sweet treat which comprises of sticky caramel sandwiched between two thin, circular waffles.

You can still bag EasyJet flights from around £25 from London airports in November this year. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Tirana, Albania

It takes around three hours to reach the capital of Albania and once you’re there, there is plenty to do over a weekend at a leisurely pace. 

In the centre of the city, visit Skanderbeg Square, the city’s central plaza featuring a towering clock tower. 

Another top spot is the free Pyramid of Tirana – it’s a bit of a work-out to reach the top but the view of the city is well worth it. 

And if there is one thing you shouldn’t miss, make sure to visit Bunk’Art 1 & 2 which are massive underground Cold War bunkers converted into museums, including one all about surveillance.

Street food will cost you a few quid and coffee or a pint is under £2 each. 

What’s even better is that return flights cost as little as £28 per person. Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Paris, France

I can think of no better place than Paris to transition you from summer, seamlessly into the cosy season. For me, it’s the shopping that draws me back year after year.

It is the fashion capital of the world, after all.

So make sure to travel with an empty suitcase so you can pick out your winter wardrobe while you’re here from the many vintage boutiques littered around the Le Marais district in the 3rd and 4th Arrondissements.

Here you’ll find classic kilo shops that sell bargain items priced by weight – you could pick up a whole outfit for €15.

Plus the city is just a hop, skip and a jumper over the Channel, reachable by plane, train or car – take your pick.

The culinary scene is another huge draw in autumn, too. Now is time to trade out the rosé wine for something more wintry and, in my opinion, no where in the world produces better red wine than France.

Le Barav, in the same region as the vintage shops, houses a wine shop on one side and restaurant on the other.

You can go and pick your wine for a supermarket price and then pay a €7 corkage fee to drink it in the restaurant area while tucking into a cracking charcuterie and cheese platter.

Wowcher city breaks with flights included start from £99. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

For our Halloween edition of readers’ tips, we’d love to hear about spooky spots, haunted houses and ghost tours you’ve experienced around the UK. Perhaps you enjoyed a guided (or self-guided) city ghost walk, visited a haunted castle or wandered around eerie ruins at twilight. Tell us what made it so spook-tacular for the chance to win a holiday voucher.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

An art nouveau spa in Stockholm

Tucked away off a pretty shopping street in a beautiful art nouveau building is one of Stockholm’s oldest spas, Centralbadet where a day ticket costs from £23. As winter darkness descends, candles are lit around the pool and a quiet calm envelops you. Swimming by candlelight is a treat. Next a sauna followed by an ice-cold plunge. Afterwards a nightcap is in order so it’s a brisk walk in the cold crisp air to Fotografiska restaurant. It’s a great spot to savour one of Stockholm’s best views; the old town Gamla Stan and the twinkling lights on Lake Mälaren.
Sarah Rochfort

‘Completely timeless and immersive’: birdwatching in Norfolk

Birdwatching at the Cley and Salthouse marshes in Cley-next-the-sea, Norfolk. The two bird hides are meditative and relaxed spaces. The windows open directly on to the pools of saltwater where many different species of birds obliviously wander around. It’s a place that is completely timeless and immersive. Your only job is to gaze out at the birds. It’s a very popular spot for birdwatching but the atmosphere is friendly and quiet. Someone even let us have a go with their binoculars. We particularly enjoyed watching a nest of baby swallows huddled in the corner of the hide. The marshes cover a wide area and are so important for biodiversity, providing an essential resting place for resident and migratory birds. You might even spot a spoonbill, which have returned to the UK from 2010 after being absent for hundreds of years. Well worth a wellness visit, even if you don’t really know anything about birds (like me).
Petra

Hampshire’s Scandi sauna huts

A fresh ginger concoction, orange slices and a friendly sauna master greeted us at the Hello Outdoors shepherd’s hut sauna, which has a picture window overlooking the historic Lymington Sea Water Baths. The deep blue of the sky and water, Swedish sauna hats, the calming scent of our chosen essential oil, a soothing soundtrack and the option to ease the sauna heat with an exhilarating plunge in an ice-cold tub or more genial dip in the sun-warmed sea baths made for a very enjoyable and restorative couple of hours away from real life. We didn’t want to leave.
Claire Edwards

Forest bathing in Croatia

For five days in Radoboj, northern Croatia, we forest-bathed beneath the trees, walked slowly, practised breathing and meditation and ate simple local food. No luxury spa, no expensive treatments – just nature and time. I wore an Oura smart ring throughout. My resting heart rate fell markedly and, by day four, the ring recorded four and a half hours of restorative time. More importantly, I felt profoundly different. It completely overturned what I thought wellness travel was. Sometimes the most restorative place isn’t a spa. It’s a forest.
Bex Hamilton

Bath time near Sofia, Bulgaria

The natural mineral springs in Sofia mean bathhouses are a way of life. Bankya is on the outskirts of the city, so I travelled by bus to visit the Central Mineral Bath Bankya. This opulent bathhouse is owned by the Sofia municipality, meaning the atmosphere is a mix of the everyday council baths and extraordinary architecture from the early 20th century. You can visit from under €10 and, as well as the promised health benefits of the natural spring water, there is a thermal zone, a salt room, aromatherapy, saunas and steam rooms with an array of massages too.
Sarah Collings

The perfect spa and skiing combo in Poland

While skiing in Zakopane, Poland, we made a lot of use of Terma Bania, an incredible pool and spa centre right in the heart of the ski resort. There is something magical about watching the sun go down in blissfully warm water and surrounded by snow. There is an astonishing array of saunas, pools and steam rooms, surrounded by mountain views. We discovered there are also several thermal pool and spa complexes in the surrounding area, and ended up spending as much of our holiday in the spas as we did on the slopes!
Frances

Simmer by the loch in Argyll

The Lochside Sauna at West Coast Wellness (£17 for 2.5 hours) in Evanachan sits on the shore of Loch Fyne. Hidden away from the single track road, a 10-minute walk takes you to one of the most peaceful saunas in the UK. From the giant window, sit back and watch the water of the loch (keep an eye out for dolphins), slowly preparing yourself to make the short walk down and take a dip in between the heat. Alternatively there is a cold water plunge which if anything is colder than the loch! The centre also offers yoga and pilates sessions and there’s the delicious Inver restaurant just around the corner.
Lewis

Wild swimming and wildlife in North Yorkshire

Wild swimming at Pool Bridge Farm guarantees a wholesome retreat from the vibrant bustle of neighbouring York. Transformed from old fishing ponds, the sprawling site comprises four lakes and ample space for lounging and lunching. A revitalising dip is best paired with a stop in the sauna (£16.50), priming those brave enough for the raw, heady thrill of the next plunge. To top it off, head to nearby Wheldrake Ings nature reserve, one of North Yorkshire’s top wildlife destinations, especially for waterfowl. As the flood waters rise from autumn, so does the abundance of migratory birds. A serene natural scene to soothe the soul.
Fin

Sensory walk in the Black Forest, Germany

My two teenagers and I stumbled on a wellness experience for the mind, body and soul while we were wandering around the Black Forest near our holiday base of Freiburg last summer. A friendly German walker with a tree branch for a stick and a large husky for a companion told us to try a barefoot sensory trail at Park mit Allen Sinnen (park of all the senses) as we walked along together through the forest. So we followed his advice. It involved walking barefoot over grass, sand, woodchips, stone, mud and more while trying to tune into our five senses. We began by putting our hands into hollowed-out trees with our eyes closed to guess what objects were placed there. There were bright, colourful flowers, natural scents to imagine and huts to relax and sit in full of sounds and smells to immerse ourselves in with eyes closed. We repeated these walks for three days, heightening our contact with our own senses – and treating ourselves to rye bread and cheese sandwiches with forest fruits berry juice from simple forest cafe cabins as a reward.
Helen

Winning tip: County Donegal’s peerless sauna on the pier

If you find yourself on the wild coast of south County Donegal, head to the Sliabh Liag Sauna at Teelin pier. After a day of hiking (and maybe one or two pints of porter the evening before), the small wood-fired sauna right on the pier was the perfect unwind. We followed it up by taking a sea dip in the bay just steps away. If you have plenty of time, combine the sauna with a nearby boat trip to the unforgettable Sliabh Liag sea cliffs towering 601 metres (1,972ft) above the sea.
Peter Henry

​Winning tip: History, buns and Italianate porticoes in Münster

In an often overlooked corner of Germany, near the Dutch border, Münster is an absolute gem. Covered porticos will convince you you’re in northern Italy, gothic churches will remind you you’re in Mitteleuropa and the buns from Zeit für Brot will insist you’re in heaven. Nature-lovers can take in the Botanical Gardens and relax by the Münstersche Aa river. Those of a historical bent can peek into the room where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed in 1648 and mull the report card of nation states in the nearly 400 years since. But really, it’s a great place just to drop-anchor and lose a few days.
Jeremy

Germany’s highest railway bridge, near Düsseldorf

In the verdant countryside near Düsseldorf, the 129-year-old Müngsten Bridge, the country’s highest railway bridge, rises 107 metres above the River Wupper. The impressive iron and steel structure is billed as Germany’s answer to the Eiffel Tower (yes, really!) and if you’ve got a head for heights, you can don a harness and make the exhilarating climb to the highest point. You’ll be rewarded with incredible views across the valley, especially if you steel yourself (!) for the nerve-racking walk across the narrow beam that spans the top of the bridge. Eat your heart out, Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Bex

A wild North Sea island made for cycling

Sylt is more than a North Sea island to us. My German grandmother met my British army grandfather, and Sylt became my mother’s childhood island. It feels made for cycling, with peaceful paths winding between grassy dunes, sweeping beaches and little villages. Spend the day riding, watching the surfers and eating warm Nutella crepes by the sea, before settling into a traditional hooded Strandkorb (hooded beach chair) to listen to the waves. Bike hire costs €8-€10 per day. It is wild, windswept and magical, somewhere our family history becomes real every time we return.
Fay

Tour the country for a month for €63

Get the Deutschlandticket! An entire month of public transport for €63 – buses, trains, trams, ferries … The only thing that isn’t included is faster long-distance trains, but you can figure out how to get from A to B using the Deutsche Bahn website, which has a special “Deutschlandticket only” filter; the need to change trains means you’ll end up discovering places you wouldn’t otherwise visit. It’s worth it just for a week, or, if you do want to travel long distances quickly, just for inner-city transport. Use the German public transport app Mopla to buy one at any time.
Joseph

Cologne’s world-class cocktails bars