The poshest picnic in the UK: why it’s worth booking Glyndebourne 2024 March 18, 2024 A picnic at the historic house of Glyndebourne is a highlight of the better weathered seasons, and one of the poshest pursuits in Britain, says Sophie Ibbotson f there is a recipe for the perfect summer evening, warm weather, extensive gardens, and al fresco dining are surely indispensable ingredients. At Glyndebourne in East Sussex, your [...]
Visit arty Amsterdam, beyond the sex shows and cannabis cafes March 12, 2024 If the thought of stag parties, cannabis cafes, and seedy sex shows leaves you cold, that is no reason to write off Amsterdam. In recent years, the Netherland’s largest city has been working hard to get rid of its tacky reputation and reinvent itself as a more sophisticated tourist destination, with a strong contemporary art [...]
Why the remote Wakhan Corridor is your travel bucket list destination for 2024 December 5, 2023 The Wakhan Corridor is a land that's been largely forgotten by the outside world. Sophie Ibbotson went to explore
This Lake District hotel has three incredible UK chefs and one Michelin star October 9, 2023 Three culinary hotshots are building the Lake District’s most exciting gastrotourism destination at the Gilpin Hotel, says Sophie Ibbotson It is often said that “too many cooks spoil the broth” but Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is counting on healthy rivalry to drive innovation in its kitchens. The Cumbrian hotel, which occupies a magnificent 100 [...]
Why Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan is your next adventure holiday destination September 4, 2023 After writing the first official guidebook, Sophie Ibbotson tells us why Karakalpakstan is the new destination adventure holiday seekers need to book ‘‘How can you write a guidebook about Karakalpakstan? There’s nothing for tourists here!” Those words will echo a long time in my ears, and they must rate amongst the last things a guidebook [...]
Italy holidays: Why Bergamo and Brescia are the Italian places we love this summer July 3, 2023 Italy holidays: Italy’s dual City of Cultures make a great break, says Sophie Ibbotson THE WEEKEND: In recent years, the UK has chosen Hull, Derry, and Coventry as its annual City of Culture. Bradford’s turn is next. The Italians seem to take things a little more seriously, and have awarded this year’s cultural crown to [...]
Visit Corfu in the glorious autumn to get closer to the island’s enchanting history September 5, 2022 The flight from Heathrow to Corfu soars above central Europe, then tracks the Adriatic coastline along the Balkans. Waiting to land at the airport beside Corfu Town, the plane circles the island, and looking out the window you’re well aware that you’re closer to Albania than to mainland Greece. The surrounding sea — a brilliant [...]
Uncovering Churchill’s Marrakech May 26, 2022 Asking if Winston Churchill was a hero or a villain oversimplifies the man and the historic events in which he played such controversial — but undoubtedly significant — roles. I knew of him first as a statesman, then as a historian and writer, but only relatively recently discovered that Churchill was an accomplished artist, too. [...]
Trekking Malaysia, from jungle to sea May 9, 2022 I stand, deep in the rainforest, and listen. Life is pulsating, filling the hot and humid air. It is pervasive, all encompassing, and almost suffocating. The leaf litter beneath my feet moves a little. It feels primeval. It is primeval: these forests in Malaysia are over 130 million years old. The air is filled with [...]
How the Berlin Wall still influences culture and commerce December 1, 2021 Nature is reclaiming the Death Strip. Pioneer birch trees have self-seeded, creating a winding, shady memorial that cuts through the heart of Berlin. There are cherry blossoms too, a gift from the Japanese government. But it is the slim, silvery trunks of the birches, and the dappled, dancing shadows they cast on the path, that [...]
