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The forest of Marselisskoven is right next to the city and can be reached from the centre of town within 10 minutes.
In the summer, stick a coin in one of the city bicycles and off you go (or catch a bus). There is a wonderful sandy beach all along the forest and in the forest itself there is a park with deer, a camping site, several great restaurants and a view over the sea to kill for.
Just before the forest you pass the royal family's summer residence, Marselisborg Slot. When the Queen is in Aarhus, you can watch the change of guards every day at noon. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful memorial park which is perfect for a picnic or a barbecue. When the Queen is not in residence, it is even possible to walk around the castle's own gardens.
Just south of the city centre. Walkable distance on a nice day.
Converted Liverpool-built steam tug boat that plied its trade in Cape Town, now forms a stylish, excellent restaurant and bar, specialising in great local seafood, with views to match.
Positively cheap by European standards.
Seafront at Swakopmund, a delightful historic german port and popular seaside resort to get away from the desert heat
A stunning collection of views around Edinburgh. Nice-sized images which can be downloaded for printing (personal use only).
No visit to Edinburgh is complete without a visit to the top of Arthur's Seat - the large volcanic hill in the centre of town.
The views are amazing. Sturdy shoes are a must.
While there make sure you go on a pilgrimage to Hutton's section, the place where one of the great heroes of the enlightenment, geologist James Hutton, deduced in the 18th century that the world must in fact be millions of years old: "there is no vestige of a beginning nor prospect of an end".
Holyrood Park
See (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hutton)
From the antique grandeur of the Old Town to the cold classical beauty of the New Town, this is the most beautiful city in Europe.
I am a Canadian who visits every January. The weather is not unpleasant: last year there were days and days of glorious sunshine.
The best place to stay is in the Old Town. This is where all the real-life characters of the city hang out. Sit on a bench in Hunter Square or one close to St Giles and just observe the people. Walk down the High Street from the castle to Holyrood.
A great place to eat is Always Sunday close to the Fringe Office, spend Friday/Saturday night listening to the band at the small Scotsman Lounge on Cockburn.
See you there...
Nestling between legendary Slieve Foy and spectacular Carlingford Lough, the picturesque village of Carlingford is cherished for its medieval charm and cordon bleu cuisine.
A few miles east of Dundalk, on the coast.
www.assignmentsplus.com/carlingfordpictures.html
I challenge anyone not to relax in Collioure, an historic coastal town just south of Perpignan and sandwiched between the foothills of the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean.
You can wander the narrow streets, ponder the meaning of life in a seafront café or march into the rugged hills and vineyards behind, where you’ll get a great panoramic view of the town below.
Seafood lovers should sample the famous Collioure anchovies. For foodies generally, Café le Vauban serves a never-ending platter of regional delicacies that redefines the term "bargain".
Collioure can be a great base to explore up and down the coast too. A train line runs through several towns, but be aware that all trains cease between around 1pm and 3pm, as is the Mediterranean way.
Where to stay: a good value hotel is Le Triton. Breakfast by the sea …
30mins on train from Perpignan.
From the air, three old hills in a large park northeast of Milan appear oddly pyramidal. On the ground, a trail leads past grazing horses and cows and slopes terraced for wine growing. When the air is clear, the Alps are seen to the north.
Any mysteries lie buried and long forgotten.
Near Montevecchia.
www.realitytest.com/gcpe/2004.htm
Take a train or drive from Salzburg to Werfen, a pretty little town at the foot of the mountains. From here, a bus will take you up to the start of the walking track, and then it's a hike and a cable car up to the caves (don’t worry, there’s a café en route!).
The Eisriesenwelt is a labyrinth of ice caves, high in the mountains, which stretch over 40 km. The caves are only open during the summer months, and the guided tour takes you deep into the heart of mountain, where you can see some spectacular ice formations.
You really need to dress sensibly for this though. Even though it gets hot walking up to the caves, it’s often below freezing even in the summer, and there are many stairs to climb up and down. So make sure you don’t wear sandals and someone’s borrowed socks, like me!
Dar Said is the former townhouse of a wealthy Tunis family, in the pretty seaside and artist’s village of Sidi Bou Said, perched on the cliffs in the northern suburbs of Tunis. It's a picture-perfect place of warm sun, cobbled streets, whitewashed houses with bright blue shutters and ornately decorated doors, with tall cypress trees and bougainvillea flowers spilling over garden walls.
Dar Said has been listed many times among the world's best boutique/individual hotels, and it feels small, quiet and intimate (how staying away from home should be!). All the rooms are spacious, cool, well-furnished, with opulent bathrooms, and open onto small courtyards of jasmine and gurgling fountains.
A gorgeous pool is set among terraces overlooking the sea, and breakfast is served poolside every morning.
Hire a car and drive the 45km coast road south from Alghero to Bosa.
Around every curve in the road there is a sandy cove or rocky inlet, blue-green water, cliffs and mountains.
It's hard to make any sort of progress along the road, as the water is just too inviting and the clifftop photo opportunities too many.
Bosa itself is an unspoilt town, overlooked by most tourists in favour of the nearby marina and beach. A ruined castle perches on top of a hill, from which cobbled streets and quiet squares tumble down to the river, lined with huge palms and elegant mansions.
Take the SP105 from Alghero.
This place is on the roof of Norway. It is only accessible by train - the mainline Bergen to Oslo.
Fantastic hotel Finse 1222 with great views over glacier. The walks along the old navvy road are excellent.
Take the train from Marseille heading West through the coastal villages of Niolon, Carry le Rouet, Sausset les Pins.
The track runs along the side of the mountain looking over the bay of Marseille.
Get off when you want for a swim and a drink and be back in Marseille for the evening. Or you could continue to Montpellier to see a totally different side of the south of France.
Marseille St. Charles to Carry/Sausset. For trains to Montpellier/Toulouse check the routes as they do not always take the coastal line.
Map: tinyurl.com/yt7ex7 (Marseille St Charles)
A square on top of a hill full of people, cafés, bookshops and a big fountain. Come here to get away from the crowds on the vieux port and see beautiful Marseille.
The atmosphere is relaxed: think Schanzenviertel, Hamburg or Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin in July/August.
Enjoy the view over the Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Garde at the end of 'Cours Ju' with a pression and some olives or browse the markets and boutiques during the day.
It's calm, yet cool, and a different side of Provence for those who want to experience the buzz in France's second city.
Metro: Notre Dame du Mont/Cours Julien.
Map: tinyurl.com/28g88g
This hilltop town above Menton claims to be the highest coastal town in Europe at 780m above sea level, although even with a catapult you'd struggle to dive into the ocean from here.
The views over Menton, Monaco and the surrounding valleys are truly fabulous and there are at least a couple of restaurants to admire them from.
The town is only 20 minutes drive from Menton, or less from the corniche roads and motorway, but feels off the beaten track.
For the adventurous, try climing to the old XII fort and medieval garden at the top of the town which are in a shambolic state of disrepair.
The town contains numerous vaulted passageways and you can admire beautiful houses dating back to the XV century, with their magnificently restored doorways.
For those looking for more recent history, the town is the entry point for a tour into what remains of the Maginot Line fortress.
The restaurant with the best views in town is Le Righi, 1 place du fort, 06500 Sainte-Agnès. Reservations are recommended and can be made on: 04 92 10 90 88.
Sainte Agnes is 10km north of Menton. Menton is near the French-Italian border.
Map: tinyurl.com/37mx5l
I've fallen in love with the Pyrenees mountains since starting to walk the GR10 long-distance path from the Atlantic to the Med four years ago.
From the rolling Basque hills in the west up into the Haute Pyrenees, there are some absolutely stunning views along this trail.
You can do the lot in one go (500 miles) if you have the time, or do as I'm doing and do a little bit each year: I'm hoping to dip my toe in the Mediterranean in 2010...
Alternatively, pick one of the many towns near the route as a base and discover some of the circular walks.
You'll get to see some views that you'd never see from a car.
A couple of interesting sites:
www.gr10.co.uk/
user.itl.net/~coldfish/GR10/index2.html
Map: Hendaye: tinyurl.com/2ucjsv
A beautifully kept and secluded campsite overlooking the valleys of the Dordogne.
Particularly recommended for off-peak camping, the site also hires out "mini-chateaux". Very warm staff, great location with nearby watersports, medieval villages and superb local cuisine.
Camping les Hauts de Ratebout,
Ste-Foy-de-Belves,
24170 Belves
Dordogne
00-33-(0)5.53.29.02.10
www.hauts-ratebout.fr
The D2566 from Sospel to Turini is better know to Monte Carlo Rally fans as the Col du Turini, and is awe inspiring in terms of scenery and challenging to drive or ride.
Half way along is the small church of N.D d'la Menour. You park and climb above and away from the road up to the small courtyard of the church.
It is blissfully peaceful with the smell of the lavender and buzzards circling below in the valley.
My brother and I spread my mother's ashes there, as a more beautiful spot I can't imagine.
D2566 from Sospel to Turini. Take the D2204 from Nice to Sospel.
Travelling around Nice in summer can be tiring because of the crowd and noise. Wanna have some quiet time on your own with fewer people? Take a 20-min train to a small town called Villefranche.
It's a hill-top village with stunning view along the coast. There are some more villages nearby for you to explore if you are not very fond of the noisy crowd. You may find them more fascinating than the busy Nice!
Check the train schedule at any train station.
The Mont Ventoux is a 1910m high conical peak that's visible from far across the surrounding countryside. April is the best time to go as there is still fresh snow on the peaks and the cherry orchards below the mountain are in full bloom. Take some gloves and a good windbreaker if you go during the very strong Mistral wind. The views across to Mont Blanc are truly magnificent and it's all for free!
You'll need your own transport to get to Mont Ventoux as there is no public transport. If driving take the exit for Carpentras off the A7 motorway and head for Sault. From Sault, follow the D164 for 26km up to the top of the mountain.
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