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It's the most sparsely populated of the three departments. Its beautiful rolling countryside is likened to the English Lake District. You can hire a car before you travel, pick it up at Limoges airport and tour round.
It's so peaceful and even around the tourist attractions such as the Lac de la Vassivière, you won't get any traffic congestion or hold ups - in fact, you'll wonder where everyone is!
Central France, one of the three departments of the Limousin.
Cycling is a great way to see Hong Kong in the autumn sunshine, and this film shows you how to pack in rural scenery, temples, local food and even a day at the beach.
If you have broadband, download the high-res version by following the link below; otherwise you can watch it low-res in eight episodes on youTube by searching for HK cycling bend.
Done the city? Want to taste the countryside and culture of Provence to the south of Avignon? Well, hire a car from the TGV station and head for the village of Maillaine. Try the excellent chambres d’hôte at Mas de Mouret for two nights, visit the lively St Remy market on a Wednesday morning, then have a superb lunch at La Maison Jaune. In the afternoon visit the incredible Cathédral d'Images near Baux-de-Provence – lovely and cool on a hot day. In the evening find a quiet café to your liking in Maillane, Graveson, Chateaurenard or Noves.
Maillaine
The great joy of travelling to Avignon by Eurostar/TGV is to see France changing from a northern European country, to a southern one, before your very eyes. TGVs are two storey trains and I would suggest trying to book an upstairs seat to have the best views. A simple map of France is useful, to identify the regions and places, as you whiz through them. When you get to Avignon, you will find the TGV station is outside the town, but regular buses go to the centre, stopping near the SNCF station.
If you want to see some of the surrounding countryside and villages, then a leisurely boat trip on the Volga is a good way to do it.
These run mainly during the summer and one of the most popular trips is to Tolga, taking about an hour each way.
There are also somewhat faster hydrofoil services to Kostroma, an hour and a half each way.
Trips are from the river station on Pervomayskaya Ulitsa.
As a true Blue Jackeen (native of Dublin) I love Dublin, but the one thing I always tell visitors (the term "tourist" is very rarely used in Ireland) is by all means enjoy a day and maybe one night in Dublin, have a pint or two in one of the last few remaining decent tradtional pubs (Kehoes, Toners, Dohney & Nesbitts etc) but after that get out of Dublin and head west. Nothing will prepare you for Connemara. The spectacular scenery, the friendly locals, the great pubs and traditional music, fantastic beaches and just a general feeling of being away from it all out on the farthest tip of Western Europe you can get to.
From Galway head for Clifden but make sure to take the road through the Inagh Valley. Spectacular 360 degree walled valley with the beautiful Lake Inagh running through it.
If you have time, take a trip out to Inisboffin Island for a day, wild and unspoilt with two bars and about 80 local residents and a former hideout of the 16th century great Irish Pirate Queen herself Grace O'Malley.
A small town nestled in the Vale of Clwyd in north Wales, just 30 minutes drive from Chester, 45 from Liverpool and an hour from Manchester. Beautiful countryside, stunning architecture spanning medieval through Georgian and Victorian with a healthy Tudor smattering. Not to mention a host of places to eat and stay from B&B to boutique hotels. A hidden gem in this picturesque landscape.
Call me perverse but I'm not going to recommend the Tuscany of 'rolling green hills, loan cypresses...' etc etc (ie Chianti). Head north, rather than south when you leave Pisa airport and you come, via the spa town of Bagni di Lucca, to the Garfagnana. This is considerably more rugged and mountainous than southern Tuscany, you are still within reach of the beach, there is skiing up at Abetone, large bits of the Garfagnana are Nature Reserves (Parco della Orecchiella is a must), it's fantastic country for walkers and hikers. We're talking ancient chestnut forests, alpine meadows, caves, spectacular ridges, roaring streams and little mountaintop hamlets that seem to grow from the stone of the hillside. Must sees (there's a list at www.knowital.com/html/lucca_-_the_garfagnana__3_.html include the Caves of the Wind (Grotta del Vento), the Devils Bridge near Bagni di Lucca, the sunken village at Vagli and the sanctuary and museum at San Pellegrino in Alpe.
www.knowital.com/index/listing/garfag/
Trains go into Bagni di Lucca
Want to see Germany and not stay in the major cities? Fly into Frankfurt, get a car and then start the journey along the Romantic Road as it meanders through Bavaria.
Really want to do it slowly? Ride a bike and when you tire, jump on a bus. The German countryside offers lots and the small towns have plenty of B&Bs for overnight stays. The road itself is busy in summer (as expected) but outside the summer season, the drive itself is relaxing.
The road officially goes between Würzburg and Füssen before ending up at King Ludwig's famous crazy castles.
Don't forget to visit all the other castles along the way.
Between Würzburg and Füssen
Germany (arrive via Frankfurt)
www.germany-tourism.de/ENG/destination_germany/master_tlfstrasse-id44.htm
Killarney Riding Stables runs horseriding trips into Killarney National Park for 1-3 hours daily. They cater for all levels, from complete beginner to advanced riders. This is a wonderful way to see the beautiful countryside around Killarney and the stables have an excellent reputation.
They also run trail rides of two days or five days.
Killarney Riding Stables, Ballydowney, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
One mile west of Killarney on the Ring of Kerry road to Killorgin.
www.killarneyridingstables.com
Smaland is the area between Vaxjo and Jonkoping - full of small lakes and never-ending forests - a paradise for nature lovers. Get off the main roads and explore a bit. Beware the mosquitoes in June and July if you're camping! Pop into the tourist information in Vaxjo and get some tips about the area.
Next time you get that flight with Ryanair to Santiago de Compostela. Leave the city behind you and visit the countryside. I would recommend the area known as the Ribeira Sacra (holy river banks). Great wines, food and a very peaceful countryside, which looks and feel ancient. They say there are Celtic connections between Galicia and Ireland.
A stay at Casa Santo Estevo is a great central location for this visit. Located near to the Rio Mino it is easy to travel to Lugo, Ourense, Monforte de Lemos plus the Ribeira Sacra. The house is run by expats, from the U.K. and The Netherlands, so language will not be so much of a problem!
The food is out of this world, mainly local receipts but with some from other parts of the world too. Look at the website for the house. Not only is there information about the property but the area around too. I had a great time there letting time wash past me.
The Vinales valley is fantastically scenic, with a flat valley bottom and weirdly shaped domed mountains rising sheer out of it. Very atmospheric when we were there in August, with mists and thunderstorms, and it's a completely different Cuba to the one you see in Havana. There are several hotels/B&Bs in Vinales village, and you can also hire scooters.
You can drive out to the Santo Tomas caverns in under an hour for a guided tour - well worth it, with 45 km of galleries, a bit of rope climbing is required - and you can even get to a beach at Cayo Jutia.
The roads are very quiet and in reasonable repair, and you can't get lost as the locals always point you in the right direction!
The nearest large town is Pinar del Rio, about two hours to the west of Havana.
I have beeen to Killarney in the south-west, Glenveagh in the north-west, Connemara in the west and Wicklow in the east. All are excellent. There is no admission charge to see the actual parks but you have to pay for admission for certain optional extra facilities. I liked Killarney the most. Queen Victoria had her last family holiday there before Price Albert died later in 1861. Killarney town is very busy in the summer - too busy perhaps.
Killarney is served by train from Dublin and Cork and has flights to Kerry Airport nearby from Stanstead and Liverpool. For more details see www.npws.ie
On a sunny day, rent a bike (or inline skates) from the waterside hire shop by the bridge to the island of Djurgarden. Traffic is banned from the island at weekends, and you can ride through beautiful green spaces, just a stone's throw from the city centre.
By the bridge to Djurgarden.
Bed and breakfast (Chambres d'hotes). Beautiful house. Formerly priest's residence. Church nearby with working (twice a day) bells. Lovely garden and interior. Stay in suites of rooms that sleep up to six people. Cost for four people for three nights b&b £234. Evening meal (highly recommended) 16 euros. Clean and extremely comfortable. House has good ghost. Home made mure or pommeau (or both by the fire before dinner). Hostess Claudia Lacroix is a brilliant cook. Nothing too much for this hospitable, helpful, fiercely independent, interesting woman. Good conversation, local gossip, plentiful interesting local information. Perfect environment in which to relax with friends. Lots to see (William the conquerer's birthplace in nearby Falaise), too.
www.presbytere-champcerie.com
Claudia La Croix 02 33 36 03 96
Caen or Argentan station.
If you fancy a drive into the countryside, the Maenllwyd Inn in Rudry village makes a great place to stop for lunch. It’s traditional Sunday fare with great desserts, but be prepared to wait on a Sunday. Mains are around £7-16.
The Maenllwyd Inn, Rudry, Caerphilly 029 2088 8505 www.goodpubrestaurants.co.uk/show_restaurant.tpl?restaurant=150
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