A hundred years after his death, the author’s presence is as strong as ever in the Czech capital – from his childhood homes and the literary cafes he frequented to the remarkable buildings immortalised in his workIt’s a boiling summer’s day in Prague and I’m staring into the austere face of Franz Kafka. Not the real Kafka, of course – he died exactly...

Meditation, foraging, surfing, swimming, yoga and more – find your own space at one of these wonderfully restorative destinationsImmerse yourself in the lush hills, heather-capped mountains and river valleys of the Bannau Brycheiniog national park (formerly known as the Brecon Beacons) with a three-night retreat that combines nature’s restorative powers...

From magical moonlit swims to midnight hikes and listening to owls, I have embraced my insomnia and discovered the joy of ‘night journeys’As I slip out of my clothes, my stomach pinches with fear. The beach – Pevensey Bay in East Sussex – is inky black and eerily empty. The sound of slurping seawater seems noisier than usual, the air smells brinier...

From Amsterdam to Athens, these beautiful unsung spaces exhibit a riot of colour, elegant design, history and tranquility Any list of European gardens must begin with Italy, even though their immaculate form, symmetry and reliance on non-flowering evergreen structure might jar with the modern yearning for pollinator-friendly naturalism. The Italian...

When I toured Spain’s world-famous estates and palaces, it was a small semi-concealed garden I stumbled upon that made the biggest impression – and inspired me to discover other urban oases across EuropeLast spring, my wife and I embarked on an extended family holiday through Spain, taking our two young children on a month-long road trip around a country...

Our tipsters’ horticultural finds from Hanover’s formal terraces to the world’s oldest university botanical garden in PaduaVarenna is the perfect Italian village, from its hilltop castle to the shore of Lake Como. Easily accessible by train or ferry, it is host to a spectacular botanic garden. The meandering Passeggiata degli Innamorati – the Lovers’...