palaces (17 community guides)

Luxembourg is often written off as little more than an expensive financial base - but with stunning scenery, centuries of history and a beautiful capital, that couldn’t be further from the truth... read more »

If you want to make the most of a visit to India, take to the tracks and explore regal Rajasthan by train - it can be a palatial journey... read more »

Standing on the very link between Europe and Asia, Istanbul also marries modern and ancient, and is one of the most amazing cities in the world... read more »

Head to La Macarena district, a little-visited corner of Seville, for a glimpse of an older Spain ... read more »

With the opening of a new airport at Beja, the peaceful Alentejo region is all set to welcome new visitors. Share with me some reminders of a turbulent past and enjoy the serenity of the present ... read more »

The Sicilian capital of Palermo is an amazing mixture of Arab, Byzantine and Italian – a busy city, where the traffic never slows down, and life never stops ... read more »

The Spanish city of Caceres is full of character, thanks to the fine Renaissance mansions built by returning conquistadors - and the noise of the storks who inhabit their towers... read more »

With some fantastic music, a worthy purpose, and the odd mega rock star dropping in, the Rajasthan International Folk Festival in Jodhpur is a totally captivating experience ... read more »

Egypt’s tourism capital had lost its lustre - but now Luxor is undergoing a mega facelift that will see it return to its glory days as one of the greatest cities of the ancient world... read more »

It may be way off the usual tourist trail but that's all the more reason to love Portugal’s ancient capital of Coimbra and its beautiful surrounding countryside... read more »

Staying in some of Rajasthan's beautifully restored fort-palaces, now converted into luxury hotels, gives you a memorable chance to see India through the eyes of the maharajas... read more »

You don’t need a bank account at Coutts to live like a royal – just head to Rajasthan, where you can hop from one regal palace to the next... read more »

The South Korean capital of Seoul may be Asia's best-kept secret but its 12 million residents are happy to share its yin and yang sides, from spiritual temples to futuristic toilet seats ... read more »

Luxury India....... read more »

St Petersburg has well and truly shaken off its dowdy Soviet past and reinvented itself as a vibrant city with a glittering history... read more »

Azerbaijan’s oil wealth is transforming the little-known former Soviet republic, but behind Baku’s modern façade lies a traditional heart best explored through a long musical heritage... read more »

Lapped by the Mediterranean, just off the southern coast of Tunisia, Djerba is a peaceful, sun-drenched island where sugar-cube villages and palatial hotels sit side by side... read more »