I Love Touring Italy - The Trentino Subregion If you are looking for a European tourist destination,
consider the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy
on the border of both Switzerland and Austria. Among its
tourist attractions are the Dolomite Mountains, that the
famous architect Le Corbusier called “The most
beautiful work of architecture even seen,” glacier
lakes, and Alpine forests. In fact the region is composed
of two parts, Trentino in the south and Alto Adige in the
north. This article presents Trentino; a companion article
presents Alto Adige. Read more »

I Love Touring Italy - Naples
If you are looking for a European tourist destination,
consider the city of Naples in the Campania region of
southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. In 1995 UNESCO
declared the Historic Center of Naples a World Heritage
Site. We certainly can’t say that Naples is
undiscovered. But it is definitely less tourist infested
than many, many other Italian cites. You really should
consider visiting Naples, as you should consider visiting
other parts of Campania, described in companion articles in
this series. Read more »

One of my favourite European cities to visit for a short break is Berlin. I first visited this historic city just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when Checkpoint Charlie was still in place and the border formalities continued to operate between the two halves of the city. Berlin has now put some of its sad history behind it and the seat of government is back there in its rightful place. Since reunification the city has undergone a renaissance and the attractions of Berlin are now restored to their best appearance. There is a wide range of accommodation in Berlin, from five star international hotels to friendly inns. I was lucky to get a great deal at the Schweizerhof, close to the famous Tiergarten which is a must-see. This was the first time I ever saw Vodka on the breakfast buffet! If you are interested in delving into Berlin’s history you can book for private tours in Berlin and your guide will give you a real insight into the soul of the city. Read more »

Here is a further selection of some of the cutting edge world class hotels. Read our earlier reviews of the best new hotels in Europe and new vacation resorts in India as well:

1. Banyan Tree, Bali
Open from Autumn 2008, this secluded resort lies at Bali’s southern tip but is still conveniently located for the beaches at Sanur, Kuta and Seminyak. The hotel has 73 villas ranging from one bedroom to three bedrooms and each has a private landscaped garden, open air shower and indoor sunken bath plus infinity pool.

2. Mandarin Oriental, Sanya, China
This private beach resort, lies at the southernmost tip of the sole tropical island in China, Hainan Island, on a mile-long stretch of private beach, surrounded by tropical greenery. This is designed as a secluded chillout resort in harmony with the natural world. Low rise villas designed in northern Chinese style merge with the surrounding landscaped gardens, making maximum use of the natural light and benefiting from views of the South China Sea.

Soneva Kiri, Thailand
Opening in September 2008, 42 villas with pools on the beach overlook the Gulf of Thailand, all with a personal butler. It is located on Koh Kood, a remote island situated in the east of Thailand, known for its pure waterfalls, and turquoise sea. Ecological sustainable design and materials are used throughout. Further information from ITC Classics (01244 355527; www.itcclassics.co.uk).

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Here are more reviews of the new generation of hotels that are now opening up for travellers seeking hotels with character. We have already reviewed some of the best new hotels in Europe, here is the pick of places to stay in India and the Indian Ocean islands : Here are the current top places to stay in Europe:

1. Four Seasons Mumbai
The Four Seasons hotel group has now developed its first property in India, and it is going to make an impact on the city of Mumbai. The Worli district is the place to be in the fast expanding capital, central to the bustling heart of former Bombay. Spacious rooms overlooking the Arabian Sea in the 33-floor glass tower give a breathtaking first impression. The hotel offers its guests S-class Mercedes transfers around the city and helipad access close to the hotel entrance. Read more »

At the moment the prospects for heavy snow throughout the skiing season are looking very good in both France and Austria. The standards expected by skiers at chalets in the Alps have risen in recent years, and you can expect excellent plentiful food at breakfast, afternoon tea and of course a splendid three course dinner where the wine and conversation flow to recount the day’s activities. Luxury ski chalets are the flexible way to enjoy the snow and if you have visited Courchevel in France you will have seen the growing trend towards this sociable kind of ski vacation. St Anton, Austria used to be known for budget inns and crowds of youngsters but there is now a rising proportion of luxury skiing holidays available in this beautiful village in the Arlberg province.

If you are planning on travelling to a new city in the United States there is a useful website that will help you sift easily through the hundreds of apartments for rent to choose the one that suits your needs. You can view your shortlist online before visiting the area for a final set of viewings, saving you time and money. You can search for apartments and rental houses close to your college or place of work, and you will be able to see a virtual tour online. You can get complete details in the listings for apartments with photos of every room and the exterior views, and see at a glance whether the landlord accepts pets, the availability of laundry facilities and on-site recreation amenities. So you will not waste time going to view unsuitable apartments as all the facts are there in front of you. Renting an apartment is the convenient and flexible way to live for anyone who needs to move around the country and this site makes the whole process much easier. They are currently featuring some very high standard properties: in St Louis, the birthplace of T S Eliot, you have a superb choice of high spec if you would like to base yourself in this well appointed city, known as the gateway to the west. Apartments here include several well appointed blocks with panoramic views over the Mississippi river.

We have stayed in Norfolk with our dog and at the time we had a very limited choice of dog friendly places to stay. Wells Next the Sea was our destination and we found a bed and breakfast that would not have been our first choice otherwise. Two years later the prospects for dog owners visiting Norfolk are a lot better. The first one is a real find - a true dog friendly hotel in one of the most attractive Norfolk coastal villages.

In Cley, the George Hotel welcomes dogs in several of its guest rooms and in half the restaurant area. This is worth a gold star - there is no ‘hygiene’ reason to stop well-behaved dogs going into a restaurants with their families. Full marks to The George for its common sense attitude. The hotel is in the centre of the small village of Cley on one of the best stretches of the North Norfolk coast. The huge skies, acres of colourful saltmarsh and mile-upon-mile of unspoilt beaches are all on the doorstep here. Read more »

If you have an early morning flight it is often much more convenient to stay close to the airport on the night before you fly, and leave your car at the Hotel or Bed and Breakfast. Heathrow airport is located in a built up area so the off-airport accommodation is more limited than it is in the area around Gatwick. If you are not familiar with the Gatwick area, just look out of the plane window next time and see how many green field are around! Many of the on-airport hotels at Heathrow offer parking while you are away, but the overall costs will be high. The Ibis charges guests £6 per day to for car parking during their vacation. Official Heathrow Airport Car Parking costs £10 upwards per day. But the big advantage for travellers to Heathrow is that the Piccadilly Line passes through some very pleasant suburbs close to the airport where you can find cheaper accommodation and quite often you will be able to leave your car in streets with no parking restrictions while you area away. Read more »