Places to visit

Britain's most beautiful narrow-gauge railways, from Norfolk to Wales

Six of the best city festivals around the world – and six amazing homes where residents are at the heart of the action

Celebrating 100 years since Cecil Chubb donated Stonehenge to the nation

Friday 26 October 2018 marks the centenary of Cecil Chubb's magnanimous gesture: turning Stonehenge over to the care of the nation. Annunciata Elwes explains how it came about.

Jason Goodwin: 'I was outraged. The bones of a king I’d barely heard of five minutes earlier had been spirited away – by foreigners!'

Our columnist takes a trip which sees him discover tales of murder, treason, desecration – and some rather pleasant gardens.

The Oxford of Inspector Morse: Dreaming spires, dead bodies... and lots and lots of pubs

The Oxford of Inspector Morse: Dreaming spires, dead bodies... and lots and lots of pubs.

The secret history of ice cream from Marco Polo to the Queen of Ices, a 'proto-Nigella in a pinny'

Ice cream is the subject of a new exhibition at the British Museum of Food. Emma Hughes went along to have a look – and, of course, a taste. It would have been rude not to.

In Focus: The hand-drawn maps from which JRR Tolkien launched Middle-earth

'I wisely started with a map and made the story fit,' JRR Tolkien once wrote. A new exhibition in Oxford – the writer's home for so many years – shows just how true that is, and offers a treasure trove for fans. Michael Murray-Fennell reports.

Life after Downton Abbey: How Highclere Castle is moving on

Highclere Castle was made famous across the world as Downton Abbey – and the money that it generated saved this beautiful country home for future generations. But they're still moving onwards in a post-Downton world, as Octavia Pollock explains.

The North York Moors: Alive with adventure, from enchanting forests to castles, beaches and gardens

Whether you go in search of adventure, family fun or a quiet break, you will leave this hospitable land of history, nature and tradition enriched and invigorated.

12 fascinating facts about Somerset, from to King Arthur’s Avalon to the skeleton at the bottom of Cheddar Gorge

From the watery Levels and mystical Glastonbury Tor to the wild, heathery hills of Exmoor, Somerset is a vast, mainly rural county with origins that stretch back through the mists of time. Here are some fabulous facts about the stunning area.

The original Art Deco lido that'll soon be as warm as a bathtub, thanks to Icelandic-style geothermal energy

An Art Deco lido in Penzance will soon boast bath-temperature waters thanks to new technology that uses heat tapped from within the Earth. Julie Harding reports.

Where to go and see bluebells this spring

We round up the best gardens to visit to see carpets of bluebells this spring and explain how to tell the difference between the native flowers and foreign interlopers

The Fens: In celebration of the magic of a landscape that’s fascinated us for centuries

The Fens are unique, man-made oddity where, paradoxically, few people live – yet they exert a strange magic that had endured for centuries.

Birdsong Barn: A holiday cottage getaway set in its own private nature reserve

Birdsong Barn, in the heart of England's '1066 Country', offers a unique break: a beautifully-converted building with a private 350-acre nature reserve on its doorstep. Toby Keel paid a visit.

How Bristol's new Brunel museum takes its cues from Hollywood film Being John Malkovich

A new museum has been opened in Bristol which tries to give an insight – almost literally – into the mind of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

In Focus: The Degas painting full of life, movement and 'orgies of colour'

Lilias Wigan takes a closer look at one of the key work's at the Degas exhibition at the National Gallery in London.

Ten simply magnificent photographs of Pashley Manor, Britain's greatest tulip festival

Every year, Pashley Manor's stunning tulip festival attracts people from across the world to enjoy these beautiful blooms in a perfect English country setting. We've picked out some wonderful images from the festival, while Jacky Hobbs describes some of the history and his favourite varieties.

Ten of the best places to visit in the UK, from top family day out to the place with the greatest loos

The winners of the 2018 UK Heritage Awards have been announced – these are the winners in the ten main categories.

Britain’s great railway stations: Victorian eclecticism, modern genius and one that is a true work of art

Simon Jenkins lauds our most romantic and architecturally significant railway stations, some of the unsung triumphs of British conservation.

How the French impressionists came to fall in love with London

French artists flocked to London in the late 19th century – and while they weren't exactly willing exiles, most to love their new surroundings as a new Tate exhibition shows. Caroline Bulger explains.