Velvet Escape

Ipoh is the capital of the state of Perak, Malaysia, roughly a 2.5 hour drive north of Kuala Lumpur. Over the years, Ipoh has steadily transformed from a quiet former mining town into one of Malaysia’s most charming travel destinations. I’ve visited Ipoh on numerous occasions, almost always as a lunch stop on a road trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. However, ...

Würzburg is a university city in the region of Franconia in southern Germany. Nestled on the banks of the Main River, Würzburg is one of Germany’s most charming and culturally rich cities, making it absolutely worthwhile to visit. I’ve been to Würzburg several times now and I find its unique mix of Baroque splendour and Franconian joie de vivre absol...

The tulip fields of Holland are a spectacular sight every spring. The most popular growing areas are in the provinces of North and South Holland, northwest and southwest of Amsterdam. Every year, between early-April and early-May, the tulip fields are a major tourist attraction. Visitors from around the world come to see the brightly coloured fields, especial...

There’s a certain romance to train travel in southern Germany – a gentle unfolding of landscapes where vineyard-clad hills, medieval spires and storybook towns drift past your window like scenes from a film. While I’ve explored much of this region on previous trips, my recent 8-day rail journey, from the fringes of the Black Forest to the histori...